Currently 61 years old, coach Cuca was announced by Atlético-MG as the club’s new coach. Galo’s confirmation took place this Sunday (12/29). It will be the coach’s fourth spell at Atlético.
The coach had been without a club since June 24, when he left Athletico-PR.
Cuca left football in April 2023, when he left Corinthians after pressure from fans due to a conviction for sexual violence in 1989, in Switzerland, in a trial for abuse in 1987 against a 13-year-old girl, in Bern.
After saying goodbye to Corinthians, Cuca hired lawyers to reopen the case and seek to prove his innocence.
Was Cuca acquitted by the Swiss courts?
On January 3, 2024, the Regional Court of Bern-Mittelland, Switzerland, announced that annulled the sentence who convicted Cuca in a trial of rape of a minor during a Grêmio tour to the European country in 1987. The coach was a Grêmio player at the time. Three other athletes from the club were also tried in the episode.
In November 2023, judge Bettina Boschler reopened the case in Switzerland following a request requested by the coach’s defense. Cuca always said he was innocent and had been tried in absentia.
Cuca’s defense requested the reopening of the case and a new trial, claiming that he had been convicted without a lawyer on the day of the decision and that he could have been acquitted with his presence. Cuca was also not present at the trial.
The Bern-Mitteland Regional Court sought to locate the victim to communicate about the review of the case, but received news of her death at the age of 28, in 2002, from undisclosed causes. One of the victim’s heirs was contacted, but did not want to get involved in the matter.
Given the scenario and after analyzing the proceedings of the case between 1987 and 1990, judge Bettina Boschler made the assessment that several irregularities occurred in the process in 1989, having led to an “unfair verdict”. Thus, she recognized the technician’s reasons and submitted the case to the Swiss Public Prosecutor’s Office for analysis of possible prescription.
The Swiss Public Prosecutor’s Office, in turn, claimed that the crime was time-barred and there could not be a new trial, suggesting the annulment of the sentence and termination of the case. In 1989, Cuca was sentenced to 15 months in prison and a fine of 8 thousand dollars. He was charged with “fornication with a child” and “coercion.” Cuca did not serve his prison sentence because he returned to Brazil shortly after Grêmio’s tour and never returned to Switzerland.
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On December 28, 2023, the judge closed the case and ordered that Cuca receive compensation of 13 thousand Swiss francs (R$ 75 thousand). The figures were reduced to 9,500 Swiss francs (R$55,200) after discounts for procedural cases.
It is worth noting that the Swiss court decision does not exonerate Cucasimply annuls the sentence and extinguishes the process, without going into the merits of guilt or innocence. There is no possibility of opening a new trial.
In an interview with the website “No Attack”, lawyer Leonardo Pantaleão, specialist in criminal law and procedure and partner at Pantaleão Sociedade de Advogados, explained Cuca’s situation.
– The technician was not acquitted because the action did not go into the merits of the matter, it was only understood that there was a defect in the processing of the criminal action due to the absence of a lawyer, resulting in the nullity of the conviction. In this way, Cuca returns to his previous legal status as someone who has never suffered any conviction either in Brazil or abroad – detailed the lawyer, who also commented on the victim’s death:
– From what we can see, the crime was time-barred, so this eliminates any prospect of punishment, in addition to the fact that the victim has already died. And it seems that her heirs were approached and did not want to have any type of involvement with this matter, so any type of trial perspective is unfeasible.
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What is known about the episode?
In 1987, Cuca and former players Henrique Etges, Fernando Castoldi and Eduardo Hamester were accused of having committed a sexual act under coercion with a minor under 13, the daughter of an employee at the hotel where the Grêmio delegation was staying in Bern, Switzerland. .
After leaving the hotel, the young woman went to the police station to file complaints against the players. The four athletes were taken to give testimony, but were quickly released and returned to Brazil.
In a report published by “Jornal dos Sports” on August 18, 1989, Cuca said that “he was innocent and the girl went to the room to exchange gifts and get autographs.”
In 1989, Cuca, Henrique and Eduardo were sentenced to 15 months in prison and a fine of 8 thousand dollars, charged with “fornication with a child” and “coercion”. Fernando, on the other hand, received three months and a fine of 4 thousand dollars as an accomplice, for having monitored the bedroom door, according to the judge. None of the four were arrested in Switzerland.
What did Cuca say after the process was annulled?
On January 3, 2024, hours after the announcement of the annulment of the process, Cuca spoke in a note. At the time, eight months had passed since Corinthians left:
– Today I understand that I should have dealt with this matter earlier. I am relieved with the result and convinced that the last eight months, even though they were emotionally difficult, happened at the right time and from God – said Cuca, in a statement sent via press office.
On March 4, 2024, Cuca agreed with Athletico-PR.
On March 10, after a 6-0 victory over Londrina, Cuca made a statement to women at a press conference. He read a text he wrote with the help of his wife and daughters:
– Today I know that this is not just about me, but it is about me too. I chose to withdraw into myself for a long time and yet I was able to move on with my life. A woman who goes through any type of violence cannot move on with her life without remaining hurt. The impact lasts forever.
I was able to live my life bypassing history because the world of football and the men in which I live hadn’t demanded anything from me.
But the world is changing, I think for the better, and that’s why I’m realizing that there’s no point in understanding what it means to be a great coach, father, grandfather and husband if I don’t understand that the world is made up of other things besides of football, that I’m part of that too.
Yes, I saw the problems, even recurring ones here in our universe of football and men. But I remained silent because society allows men to remain silent. In fact, he allowed it.
Now I understand, even without being able to delve deeper to speak in the way that would be right, I understand that I can no longer withdraw, remain silent, because silence sounds like cowardice.
I’ve been trying to listen more, learn, understand. I can’t change the past. How many of us, men, who are listening to me now, are capable of looking at the past and reviewing our attitudes?
The world is a very different place for men and women and when we see this we may even resist, but something starts to change.
And that’s the first step. Afterwards, the feeling is one of real desire for change. But honest and true changes take time, require dedication, study, are painful and challenging.
I already understand that reality has to be transformed so that the world is a safer place for women. The world of football is still a world of great prejudice.
I understood that when people charge me it’s not just about me, it’s about the way we treat women. I’m not saying this as an isolated speech to please someone, or as a lip service. If that were the case, I would have spoken out sooner. I say this from the heart.
I want and commit to being part of the transformation. I will do this with the power of education. I want to help. I want to shed light, use the voice I have to, at the same time as educating myself, also educate other men, especially young people who love football.
Sudden success is a challenge. Many get lost along the way with fame and money. We are led to believe that we can do anything, including disrespecting women. We need to give younger people the opportunity not to make mistakes like so many of us do.
It is there that we can raise awareness, make people think, guide them. Success, money and fame are useless if you get lost along the way.
I thought I was free from my anguish when I resolved my problem with the annulment of the case and compensation. But I understood that it wasn’t over because it didn’t just depend on the court decision, but that I needed to understand what society expected of me.
What you will see from me from now on will not be words, it will be actions. They can charge me. Thank you for listening to me and good night.
Why did Cuca leave Athletico?
Cuca decided to leave Athletico on June 24th. He mentioned the one who made the choice after the team’s stumbles.
– It’s a sad day for me, as I’m leaving Athletico. They had defeats that were difficult to manage against Danubio and Ameliano, which are unacceptable. And, in these last three draws, they felt guilty. When this happens, the player loses confidence. Then the coach comes in, who has to take responsibility and try to give the club the right to bring in new blood and boost the spirit. It was with this in mind that I spoke to the board, who understood – he said.
Cuca ended his time at Athletico with 23 games, 14 wins, four draws and five defeats, winning the 2024 Paranaense Championship.
