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30/07/08
Boavista have officially been relegated to the second tier, now called the Liga Vitalis (a brand of bottled water). A decision of the Liga Disciplinary Committee following alleged match-rigging was ratified by the Football Federation's Council of Justice, but the latter voted without the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council. The Federation asked statesman Freitas do Amaral for his legal opinion on whether the decision of said meeting was valid: he said "yes" and the Federation set the administrative wheels in motion to relegate Boavista (and incidentally ban FC Porto president Pinto da Costa for two years). Boavista's place in the top tier (Liga Sagres – a brand of beer) will be taken up by
Paços de Ferreira, who were 'relegated' based on games played last season.
Vitória de Setúbal's change of shirt for the coming season, a bright pink number that had its début on Saturday against Trofense, was contested so vehemently by the fans that the club has decided to
remove it from the market. It has also asked the two spectators who received the shirts from players after the game to return them. Vitória's traditional colours are green and white.
26/07/8
Former politician Freitas do Amaral
has given a legal opinion in which he states that the decisions taken at a recent meeting of the FPF's Council of Justice were valid. The meeting was held to ratify, or not, a decision made by the Liga's
Disciplinary Committee whereby FC Porto president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa would be suspended for two years and Boavista
would be relegated to the second tier for alleged match-rigging in the 2003/04 season. At the CJ meeting, the chairman and vice-chairman ended the meeting but the other members of the council went on to make their own decision, which Freitas do Amaral has now said is valid. While the ex-politician's legal opinion is not binding, the FPF are to meet on Monday and are expected to use it to enforce the Liga Disciplinary Committee's original decision.
Commercial TV channel TVI have secured the rights to all of Portugal's qualifying games for the 2010 World Cup, as well as all friendlies, the first being against the Faroe Isles on 20 August.
25/07/08
Boavista have until 11 August to submit a list of at least twelve senior professionals to the Liga in order to be able to participate in this season's competition. The problem is that the club has a debt of 15 million euros owed to Social Security, and without clearing the debt, the club will not be able to register new players.
State channel RTP have won the rights to Liga games for the next two seasons, to be transmitted in conjunction with cable channel SportTv. RTP also has the rights to the European competitions. Commercial channel SIC will show the next two editions of the Taça da Liga.
23/07/08
'The Golden Boy' João Vieira Pinto
has decided to hang up his boots at the age of 36. JVP started his career at Boavista, spent an unhappy time as a youngster at Atlético Madrid, moved back to Boavista, moved on to Benfica, switched to Sporting, returned to Boavista and ended his career at Sporting Braga. He will be remembered for good and bad things: the worst, the assault on the referee at the 2002 World Cup; the best, a hat trick for Benfica when they beat Sporting 6-3 at Alvalade before going on to win the Liga in 1994, and a sublime headed goal against England at Euro 1996. He played 476 games in the top tier in Portugal, scoring 117 goals.
19/07/08
Liga president and mayor of the northern town of Gondomar, Valentim Loureiro, has received a suspended prison sentence of three years and two months for, among other things, 25 counts of
abuse of power. The sentence relates to the 2003/04 season and interference with the selection of referees for the games of local side Gondomar Sport Clube. Loureiro is to appeal against the sentence.
15/07/08
Juventus and Portugal central defender Jorge Andrade has undergone a second operation on his left knee and will be out of action for a lengthy period.
07/07/08
The appeals made by, among others, Boavista and FC Porto president Pinto da Costa, against their relegation and suspension, respectively, following alleged match-fixing, are hanging in
the balance after confusion at a meeting of the FPF's Council of Justice
on Friday night/Saturday morning. The chairman of the meeting claimed that one of the five members of the committee was ineligible to vote on the questions in hand and promptly closed the meeting, before the matter of the appeals had been heard. The five members then voted to suspend the chairman, and decided to reject the appeal. The question now arises: does the decision to reject the appeals have legal validity.
The FPF is due to pronounce on the matter on Monday, when the draw for the coming season's Liga games is to be made. It is not yet known if Boavista, Paços de Ferre
ira (relegated and hoping for a reprieve), or both, will be in the hat.
04/07/08
The Estádio do Algarve will be the venue for this year's Supertaça Cândido Oliveira, the curtain-raiser for every season that pits the previous season's champions with the
cup-winners, and will this season be between Sporting and FC Porto. The game is on 16 August.
FC Porto have announced the renewal of the contract ceding televisual rights to the company Olivedesportos until the 2013/14 season for around 52 million euros.
The draw
was made on Thursday for the season's games in the second tier of Portuguese football, this year sponsored by Água Vitalis. The draw includes Paços de Ferreira, relegated at the end of the season from the top tier, but they may be replaced by Boavista, currently involved in disciplinary proceedings.
First half
Second half
(footballportugal will unfortunately be unable to cover the Liga Vitalis in any detail.)
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