Corruption case dropped against FC Porto president

June 30, 2008

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Portuguese judicial authorities announced Monday they were dropping the case against FC Porto president Jorge Pinto da Costa, relating to alleged match-fixing of a first division game during the 2003/2004 season.

A court in Porto concluded there had not been any “violation of the rules of the game” during the match between FC Porto and Estrela da Amadora, the Lusa press agency reported.

Pinto da Costa was accused of offering a dinner and the services of prostitutes to referees, in exchange for favourable refereeing for his team.

Later on Monday, the public prosecutors said they would appeal the ruling.

After first dropping the case, it was reopened by Portuguese authorities on the basis of evidence from Pinto da Costa's former mistress Carolina Salgado, who now risks being pursued for “false testimony”, the sports daily A Bola reported on their website.

The match referees and another FC Porto official, who were also under official investigation like Pinto da Costa, were also cleared, the Portuguese media reported.

The FC Porto president, who has been in charge since 1982, was also accused last March of being involved in another alleged attempt to fix the outcome of a game at Beira-Mar during the 2003/2004 season, when the Portuguese side won the league and the Champions League double.

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