The former president of the Portuguese Judo Federation (FPJ) Jorge Fernandes said today that he will not be a candidate for the presidency, at a time when the modality needs to be “serene”, after the open conflict in August 2022.
On the day the deadline for presenting names for the presidency in the April 29 elections ends, Jorge Fernandes said that this withdrawal will serve to “reassure some people”, but he did not rule out the possibility of returning after the Paris Olympics. 2024. .
“Sometimes taking a step back means being able to take two steps forward. The six years that I have been in the Federation say it all, but since June, August, it has been stressful here and it has not been beneficial for judo either”, justified the former president.
Jorge Fernandes, who will run again on April 7 for the presidency of the Judo Clube de Coimbra, a club where he will also train again, was dismissed in December, after an investigation opened by the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth (IPDJ). .
Jorge Fernandes left office by decision of the General Assembly of the FPJ, due to incompatibilities provided for in article 51 of the Legal Regime of Sports Federations, triggered by the hiring of his son and the practice of training at the Coimbra club.
In a process initiated by the Castelo Branco Association, which filed the complaint with the IPDJ, the former president had already been targeted by seven judokas, including Telma Monteiro, who accused him of oppression, among other criticisms.
Later, the IPDJ opened a new investigation on Jorge Fernandes, focusing on the squad’s calls, which it later expanded, after listening to a Parliamentary Commission, with Secretary of State João Paulo Correia admitting that a scenario of breach of trust and usurpation of power by the ousted president.
“We are just over a year away from the Games, things need to calm down, allow the athletes, the charter mentors, to focus on what we have been working on all these years and what we want: good Olympic representation and even better. results than in Tokyo 2020 [uma medalha de bronze, um quinto e quatro nonos lugares]”, he added.
Jorge Fernandes also said that he communicated his decision 15 days ago to the Secretary of State for Youth and Sports, João Paulo Correia, and to the president of the IPDJ, Vítor Pataco, stating that he was not a candidate for the FPJ.
On Tuesday, one day before the deadline, which ends today at 5:00 p.m., Vice President Sérgio Pina, who has the support of Jorge Fernandes, formalized his candidacy for the presidency of the Judo Federation.
“I think it is the right candidacy to bring the ship to a successful port, in a year of many challenges,” said the former president.
Source: TSF
