André Villas-Boas, presidential candidate of the national football club that finished second, FC Porto, this Thursday embraced the participants who were subjected to coercion and attacked the last extraordinary general assembly of the club, which launched Operation Praetorian.
“Firstly, I would like to give a big hug to all the Porto fans present on that dark day and express solidarity with all those who were coerced and attacked that day. Now it is necessary for justice to do its job and for the prosecutor’s office to impute the facts to those suspected of these actions,” said the former Dragons coach.
Villas-Boas spoke about the disrespect observed at this important club meeting during the press conference to introduce José Pereira da Costa as a candidate for the post of financial administrator of FC Porto SAD, which took place at the campaign headquarters in Porto.
“November 13, 2023 will be a dark day in the history of FC Porto, as it became clear to everyone that a very high level of club members were subject to coercion and attacks. Fortunately, thanks to the intervention of the prosecutor’s office, but not from the club’s Financial and Disciplinary Council, other aggressors were potentially identified, besides those that this internal body ultimately did not identify,” he admitted.
On Wednesday, Fernando Madureira, leader of Super Dragões and one of the Blaugrana’s fans, was remanded in pre-trial detention, a week after his arrest as part of Operation Praetorian, as was Hugo “Polaco” Carneiro. , and Vitor Catao, a Porto fan and former leader of San Pedro da Cova, faces house arrest.
The coercive measures taken against these three suspects were consistent with those taken by prosecutors, who did not seek imprisonment for the other nine defendants, three of whom were released on Saturday and the remaining six on Tuesday.
“I gave my testimony [em tribunal] December 27 due to what I experienced on November 13 before entering the Dragao arena, and the attacks on my caretaker on December 22. I let justice do its job,” said Andre Villas-Boas.
On Sunday, shortly after announcing his new candidacy for the presidency of FC Porto, Pinto da Costa extended a “big hug of solidarity” to Fernando Madureira, but noted that the club would not suffer the consequences of Operation Praetorian.
“I know many FC Porto employees who decided not to attend the event and many others who felt obliged to go, afraid [encararem] some reprisals regarding the continuation of their work. I have no problems with [ver] showing support for other candidates,” Villas-Boas said, referring to the “hug between two friends, fraternal and non-binding” between Pinto da Costa and Sergio Conceição, coach of the main football team, after the director’s speech.
On January 31, the PSP detained 12 people, including two FC Porto employees and Super Dragoes leader Fernando Madureira, as part of Operation Praetorian, which is investigating incidents that occurred at the club’s Extraordinary General Assembly (GA). .
According to court documents accessed by Lusa, the ministry alleges that Super Dragons fans intended to “create an atmosphere of intimidation and fear” at the Porto AG stadium on November 13, 2023, resulting in the incidents. , so that a legislative review could be approved “in the interests of the current” Blue and White leadership.
The Office of the Prosecutor General of Porto announced that “crimes against physical integrity in the context of a sports spectacle or event related to a sports phenomenon, aggravated coercion and menace, public incitement to a crime, throwing objects or liquid products, and an attack on freedom of information” .
In the elections for the governing bodies of FC Porto for the four-year period 2024-2028, due to take place in April, Andre Villas-Boas will compete with businessman Nuno Lobo, the candidate defeated in 2020, and Pinto da Costa, holder of 15 consecutive mandates as President of the Dragons and the leader with the most titles and longevity in world football.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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