The conflict between Nélson Évora and Pedro Pichardo is not new, but it has escalated to unprecedented levels. First, in an interview with “Rádio Observador”, referring to his colleague in the triple jump, the Portuguese-Cape Verdean said that “an athlete was bought to get results in the short term”, this with regard to pichardo’s rapid naturalization process . The Portuguese-Cuban reacted harshly: “I’m not a prostitute and I’m not like you who left the club badly because they offered you more. Stop talking about me that you already look like a girl if you like a boy. You’re pretty but I’m not gay.”
DN contacted Jorge Vieira, President of the Portuguese Athletics Federation, to comment on this dispute. “I’m bothered by two of our five Olympic champions fighting in the public square, but I didn’t even intend to speak publicly on the subject. I did from the moment that reference was made to the Portuguese Athletics Federation and to following the popular saying ‘he who is silent agrees, I could not help but speak'”, begins with a reference to Jorge Vieira to DN.
The federation leader does not hide his indignation at Nélson Évora. “It is inadmissible to say that Pedro Pichardo has been bought! It is a term that shocks me and I can guarantee that the Federation has never bought, seduced or invited an athlete to naturalize Portuguese,” he emphasizes, adding that “there not even an altercation with Pedro Pichardo before he was naturalized”. In addition, he says that “to this day there has not been any naturalization coming from the Federation and the processes have always been initiated by the athletes, or by athletes’ relatives, or by the clubs”.
Regarding the alleged speed with which Pedro Pichardo’s naturalization was carried out, Jorge Vieira points out that “it was carried out in accordance with Portuguese law, namely the Nationality Law, whose Article 24 points to special cases in which nationals who are candidates for nationality have relevant provide services to the Portuguese State”. And he guarantees that in the specific case of Pedro Pichardo, “when the naturalization process was already underway, all the Federation did was add a letter of consolation, underlining the public interest of his naturalization, taking into account that he provided relevant services to the country as he was already a World Cup winner”, adding that Auriol Dongmo’s naturalization process was “exactly the same”.
Jorge Vieira reveals that he plans to have a talk with Nélson Évora, but not for now. “In due course this conversation will take place. It is a huge injustice to have been told that we do not bet on game formation and that we prefer to buy athletes to get results. I did not expect such statements from a champion like Nélson Évora and incidentally, I think that such considerations can affect the good public image of Nélson Évora, something that makes me sad,” he confesses.
When asked if he wants to mediate in this serious conflict that exists between the two Portuguese triple jump champions, he answers in the affirmative, but he guarantees that it will be a mission doomed to failure. “I have every interest in seeing this conflict come to an end, but with the belief that it will be impossible. Now I would call, without any hesitation, for the level of the conflict to be lowered to, say, more acceptable levels. We all know of the great rivalries that have existed throughout history in sport and in the most diverse fields, but it is unacceptable that such an extreme seriousness as what has happened should be reached, not least because we talking about great champions who maintain a public image,” he says.
Source: DN
