José Coelho / Lusa
Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa, former president of FC Porto
Fighting a prostate cancer, former president of FC Porto spoke of everything: the “false” accounts to SAD coffers, the audit that “met who commissioned it” and “lack of evidence” in the controversial sale tickets.
The historic president of FC Porto Pinto da Costa broke the silence This Monday to defend themselves from alleged “attacks” that they consider to be directed to his person, his work and the legacy he left at the club.
In a statement with five points sent to the newspaper, the former dragon leader refuted accusations Related to SAD accounts, forensic audit, transfers commissions (such as Otavio) and controversy around the tickets.
“Over the past few months I have kept silence before attacks that have been directed to methus seeking to contribute to the preservation of the good name of FC Porto and not to raise any focus of instability that can be seen as a cause of sports failure, ”he began by shooting.
“I watched at the stadium at the first games, having received numerous demonstrations of affection, but they were not well understood by some. Silence thus fails to be an option, at a time when it becomes too evident the purpose of denigrating the characterthe work and legacy of those who dedicated long years to the club’s service, ”he wrote.
Pinto da Costa begins with deny in the blue and white coffers.
“One of the most insistently passing messages is that the administration I presided only left 8,000 euros to its successors, with the club strangled and without solutions to the future. Nothing more false, as it has now become evident”, He pointed out, seeking to clarify that the investments made allowed the new management to generate 167 million euros in the first half of the season.
“We invested and valued a squad that allowed the current administration, only in the first half of the season, a fit of 167 million euros. We realized new partnerships, namely with Ithakainvolving the assignment of a funds of 65 million euros. It was also the future revenues of this new company created by the partnership with Ithaka, which served as a guarantee for the funding of 115 million euros in the long run and was recently hired.
The honorary president also spoke about the controversy. From the Otavio pass to Al Nassr, the current administration will now receive another 20 million euros, ”said Pinto da Costa.
“And we also left a fully paid stadium and pavilion, as well as a training and training center and a state -of -the -art museum,” he said.
Regarding the commissioned by André Villas-Boas, Pinto da Costa criticized the conclusions of it, which, he says, “They went to meet what the commissioned they wanted.”
The audit “has launched a series of decontextualized information. It is omitted that the accounts have always been audited by the largest international companies in the sector, including by the now author of forensic audit, without ever being irregular, ”and“ it was ignored that the appeal to representation expenses approved by the Commission of Salaries are not from now. They have always existed in the SAD, being an accepted practice in the business universe and without having been posed at question by auditors which, if it happened, would be reason to immediately correct procedures. The proof that this has always happened is that the current president of the Fiscal Council, being the financial administrator of the SAD in the period immediately prior to the audit, also proceeded. Even after he had abandoned office, he continued to have invoices to exhaust the balance he left in SAD, as he had this right, ”he said.
The former president also approached the transfers commissionsdevaluing criticism and saying that such payments are common in the football industry. “The importance of commissions on business success that have sports impact does not change through cosmetic operationssuch as changing the name of commissions or business inflation so that it apparently do not include them. ”
The former dragon president also lamented the attempt to create controversy around FC Porto’s market practices and suggested that the investigation continue to clarify any questions about values considered improper.
Finally, Pinto da Costa spoke about the question of the A ongoing Super Dragons, and says there is no evidence: “The bet on media episodes have been preferred, given the finding that no previous administration can not be imputated by the previous administration on the sidelines of the law.”
The historic president of FC Porto concluded the statement by recalling the challenges inherent to the management of a club in the size of FC Porto and reinforced the desire for the team to continue to be a winner in Portugal and in international competitions.
Being president of Porto “implies often making complex decisions, risking, failing a few times, dealing with the consequences of what does not go well. But it cannot be forgotten that it was the management model I led that allowed FC Porto the numerous sports hits that are recognized nationally and internationally, ”he said.
“I wish a winning FC Porto, in football and in all modalities, in Portugal and in international competitions, in the present and future, who is driving it,” he concluded.
