The Disciplinary Council of the Portuguese Football Federation decided file the lawsuit filed against a SportTV journalist for a question asked of Rúben Amorim, a lightning interview after the reception of Sporting to Desp. Chaves, about Slimani’s statements. Additionally, the organization also announced that it will stop applying the rule that restricted the questions asked in the quick interview area.
It should be remembered that the process was initiated by a complaint from the Sporting delegate at the game, who alleged that article 91 of the League Competition Regulations had been violated, where it is mentioned that the moment of lightning interview it only hosts questions about the occurrences of the match in question. Less than 24 hours later –and also after very public messages from Pedro Adão e Silva, Minister of Culture–, the Disciplinary Council itself guaranteed that it had no intention of sanctioning Rita Latas, the journalist in question.
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Now, in a statement, the body of the Portuguese Football Federation indicates that it unanimously considered that “journalists cannot be prohibited from asking questions with certain content in the context of football competitions”, deciding, therefore, “not to apply article 91 of the Regulations for Competitions Organized by the Portuguese League, since it restricts freedom of the press.”
“It was the decision of the Disciplinary Council to initiate the process to which it was obliged, refusing to turn a blind eye to a complaint, which made it possible to clarify, by unanimous decision, that journalists cannot be prohibited from asking questions with certain content in the context of football competitions. It was respect for the rule of law that imposed the initiation of disciplinary proceedings. And it is the same respect for the rule of law that must prohibit attempts to interfere in the performance of an independent disciplinary body, which does not allow itself to be conditioned or intimidated, ”can be read in the statement released this Thursday, where it is revealed then that Article 91 will no longer apply.
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“The Disciplinary Board, by Judgment of September 8, 2022, decided to leave article 91 of the Regulations for Competitions Organized by the Portuguese League without application, since it restricts freedom of the press in the name of protecting unconstitutional values, namely, the property interests of the promoter of the sporting event and the broadcast television operators, being, therefore, a manifestly illegitimate norm in the light of the Constitution”, add note.
Source: Observadora
