Fernando Veiga Gomes comments on incident during the Portuguese Cup final
“There may be circumstances in which a player’s conduct goes beyond the contesting of a play. In such cases, a criminal complaint may be filed.” So says Fernando Veiga Gomes, partner at Abreu Advogados, regarding the controversial incident between Matheus Reis of Sporting CP and Andrea Belotti of SL Benfica during the Portuguese Cup final on 25 May.
However, the lawyer, who specialises in Sports Law, told CNN Portugal that the situation in question “is not a crime” and “has no criminal-legal substance.” He further added that “there appear to have been no physical consequences” and, as such, “it could never amount to aggravated bodily harm,” though it is up to the Public Prosecutor’s Office to assess the facts.
Commenting further on this prominent issue in Portuguese sport, Fernando Veiga Gomes told Renascença that “one thing is the game itself, and another is offences against physical integrity or other criminal matters that may arise from the game.” While the incident in question does not appear to have legal-criminal relevance, that does not mean it may not warrant disciplinary action.
