The president of SportingFrederico Varandas, was again acquitted, now by the Lisbon Court of Appeal, in a case filed for describing him as an active corruptor in reference to Pinto da Costathen leader of FC Portowho passed away on February 15, 2025.
That comment was made on March 5, 2022 and has now resulted in the acquittal.
«(…) when the defendant states that the assistant is an active corruptor, he does so taking into account a specific case in which he was accused and sentenced for committing a crime of active sports corruption», reads the ruling.
«The expressions uttered, despite the assistant not having been convicted of any crime of active corruption, are not susceptible to criminal protection, falling within the right to opinion and criticism», it is added and completed: «In the specific situation, the expressions uttered are covered by freedom of expression.»
It is recalled that, at the end of January, Frederico Varandas was also cleared in another case for having qualified Pinto da Costa like a bandit.
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