A “sleeping” smell in the Dragão Arena locker room marked the beginning of a troubled journey. FC Porto denied this and said that Martim Costa attacked a fan. Lucas França left the match after hearing racist insults from the stands.
A very controversial sporting day, this Saturday. Starting with the case of alleged intoxication at Dragão Arena, more specifically in the locker room assigned to Sporting CP.
Before the national handball championship classic between FC Porto and Sporting (30-33)the leonine entourage reported the presence of a intense smell in the locker room assigned to him, described by several people at the scene as similar to bleach or a toxic substance.
According to the version presented by the Lions, the situation made it impossible to remain in place, leading players, coaches and the rest of the team to equip themselves outside the cabins and concentrate in a hallway. In fact, the coach Ricardo Costa and the pivot Moga needed medical assistance at the scene, but it was not enough: an ambulance was called and both were reportedly transported to the hospital as recommended by the medical team present.
Other members of the green and white team also reported feeling unwell, while delegates at the game described the odor, cited by pel’, as “sleeper”.
Rosa Pontes, deputy and allegedly allergic to ammonia,: intense odor made her feel unwell.
Despite everything, the match took place, 15 minutes late. But the controversy didn’t stop in the locker rooms.
After the game, Mário Santos, general director of sports at the Porto club, downplayed the complaints presented before the match and classified the alarm generated around the alleged problem in the locker room as unfounded. The leader went further, denying that anyone had been hospitalized and criticizing what he considered to be a dramatization of the episode. And he launched an accusation (a very serious one to say) about Martin Costa, Sporting player.
“Without prejudice to the inspection carried out at the site, it is regrettable all the noise that was generated from the matter without any type of basis and it is tiring to watch this type of episode and ignore the Martim Costa’s attack on FC Porto fanwhich will be duly identified. In the previous game, a member of the Sporting delegation presented behavior with strong signs that could be considered violence in sport”, said the director.
Benfica denounces racism
The day’s incidents did not end with handball. In volleyball, the meeting between Sporting de Espinho and Benfica, the second game of the championship’s quarter-finals, was interrupted in the fourth set after Lucas França, an Eagles player, complained about racist insults coming from the stands.
The match was stopped for a few minutes, eventually resuming, but the Brazilian did not participate in the game again.
Meanwhile, Benfica reacted in a statement, condemning the episode and expressing “total solidarity” with Lucas França and the entire team. The Rio club also reaffirmed its commitment to the values of respect, dignity and integrity in sport. On the same note, the red emblem also highlighted the stance of Sporting de Espinho’s directors, who sought to intervene quickly to help resolve the situation.
“It’s always a very complicated subject, when we touch on the issue of skin color, race, country, political option. It’s all very complicated. It seems that the more we talk about it, the more episodes appear. We can’t admit it, whoever goes through this must suffer a lot. It’s sad because it always ends up being with the black race. It’s s***, I apologize for the word, but it’s shit. I wish it didn’t happen, but we see that it happens repeatedly”, said Benfica coach Marcel Matz.
Benfica won the match 3-1 and secured their place in the semi-finals.
