Famalicão’s sports director of women’s football, Samuel Costa, was the target of sexual harassment complaints filed anonymously today by Rio Ave players, and he was also the subject of a disciplinary process, according to the Federation Disciplinary Council (FPF). ) ). The players had already denounced inappropriate behavior by Famalicense coach Miguel Afonso, who was suspended by the club and the Disciplinary Board.
The alleged victims of sexual harassment in the 2020-21 season have today formalized complaints via the Association of Professional Footballers (SJPF) with the FPF and the Judicial Police (PJ). The SJPF collected various pieces of evidence and the participations were also made by athletes from other clubs led by Miguel Afonso.
Early in the morning, and less than 24 hours after it became known that he had been accused of sexual harassment by players of Rio Ave, which will have taken place in the 2020-21 season, the coach left the technical direction of the Famalicense squad (6th in the BPI competition).
In a statement, the club announced the suspension of the duties, by mutual agreement and with immediate effect, of coach Miguel Afonso until the truth of the facts is established.And reaffirming that “it does not see itself in an attitude of offensive content or gender inequality”. As such, it makes itself available to the competent authorities to “contribute to the achievement of the truth”.
The coach’s departure surprised the team because, as the DN reported yesterday, on the day the case became known, President Jorge Silva went to the locker room to reaffirm his confidence in Miguel Afonso and said he had no proof. of the alleged harassment and who believed it was a clique orchestrated by two female game managers.
The club will now take advantage of the 15-day break in the championship, before the national teams’ matches, to find a new coach, in time for the BPI Liga game with Benfica, which is scheduled for October 15. Renato Lobo is the interim.
This is the first case of its kind known in Portuguese women’s football. It will have happened in the 2020-21 season, when Miguel Afonso coached de Vila Condenses in the second tier. The alleged victims are players between the ages of 18 and 20. One of them, according to the newspaper Público, received a text message from the technician asking whether he liked men or women. The technician says he is the victim of a “settlement”, but he could not resist the scandal.
The support of Tita and Jessica Silva
The case promises not to stop here and to be a pandora’s box. Just yesterday, Ana Lopes, a former Portuguese international footballer known for Tita, admitted publicly that she was also “a victim of sexual harassment while playing football” and that she did not act “for lack of evidence, under penalty of conviction for defamation, but I will now file a complaint”. The former footballer of Ouriense, Benfica and Torreense, among others, also expressed the wish that “all girls/women who have the pleasure of playing football can experience it without oppression, manipulation, violence, invasion”.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by ANA LOPES (@tita77__)
Jéssica Silva (Benfica) asked everyone to unite against crime: “Don’t ruin our dream. Being a footballer and being part of the giant evolution of women’s football is a pride! It really is! Sexual harassment is abhorrent across the board. With the latest news in mind, I cannot fail to emphasize my solidarity with all these footballers. We can never be silent.”
Businesswoman Daniela Lopes and Mariana Vaz Pinto, former Team manager from B SAD, distributed via Twitter, messages allegedly exchanged by Miguel Afonso and players from Rio Ave, one of whom has even left football because of this case. “Are you upset when you said your voice relaxes me?” It is one of the text messages that have been released.
Source: DN
