Dear Sirs,

I would like to know whether under FIFA’s Rules, regulations and Ethical Code of principles the behaviour and actions hereunder disclosed are acceptable or not and also if there is a proper channel to file a formal complaint against this Soccer Club, the Portuguese Football League and the Portuguese Football Federation for dismissing the actions hereunder disclosed to you and thoroughly described as “fait divers” by the President of the Portuguese Football League, having as such archived and closed the complaints procedure submitted to both organizations by Sporting Clube de Portugal .

In Portugal, Sport Lisboa e Benfica has been offering (at least since 2013) in secret, the kits of “goodies”, known as “The Eusébio box” at every match played at this club’s Stadium and Football School’s football field, at Lisbon and Seixal, by it’s professional football teams (Team “A” and Team “B”) to the four referees, the two Portuguese Football League’s deputies and the Referee’s observer.

Each Kit includes the following list of “goodies”:
A) A card box with Eusébios’s picture on the lid, containing
B) A replica of Eusébio’s football shirt of the nineteen sixties
C) A set of four vouchers for four meals “à la carte” at the luxurious Lisbon Restaurant “Museu da Cerveja”
D) A set of four vouchers for visits to the Sport Lisboa e Benfica’s Museum, at Estádio da Luz, in Lisbon.

The value of each Kit is estimated and publicly perceived as being of roughly €600,00 but it may represent a lot more as a single meal at the above referred restaurant may easily achieve the “pricey” sum of €300,00 thus, four meals may easily reach the amount of €1.200,00 and 1120 meals per year, the corresponding price of €1.344.000,00.
Like any other football Club Sport Lisboa e Benfica makes available at the referees’ locker room food and beverages that may cost approximately €200,00 per event.

This means that Benfica spends a minimum of circa €4.400,00 per event at Estádio da Luz and the Seixal’s Benfica football Academy, corresponding to an annual expense of €167.200,00 to appease the referees and official football agents present at the matches that Sport Lisboa e Benfica plays at home.
Apparently a similar procedure takes place during their International matches for the Champion’s league or the European League and which case it is irrelevant if the match is played in Lisbon or abroad.

Over 50.000 Sporting Club de Portugal’s supporters are ready to submit an International complaint to FIFA and UEFA about the above described subject and behaviour of Sport Lisboa e Benfica and about the behavior of both the official football organizations that rule over football in Portugal and organize all Portuguese football Competitions. We strongly believe that the above described actions violate football ethics, fair play and establish moral coercion over the referees who have confessed having accepted such offers, many of them more than once.
Fighting for moral values and transparency in Football doesn’t seem to be of the uttermost interest of neither the Portuguese Football League nor the Portuguese Football Association (Federação Portuguesa de football). Truth in Sports is of the highest importance even higher than truth in business due to the importance of sports in the education of the Portuguese youth.
In spite of all this, the subject has been dismissed by the Portuguese League’s President as “IRRELEVANT” and no action has been taken, namely, the rules that apply to such situations have not been observed, even preventive measures have not been taken by the above referred Portuguese organizations.

An International press conference is to be held in London during the month of April by an association of people including top Portuguese Athletes, Lawyers and simply people who care about and fight for Truth and Justice in Sports.
During this Press Conference Statistics, an insightful press file and videos shall be released to the International Media, shall be available in a purposeful site in the Internet and will be disseminated in the social networks
A Legal Action is being prepared to be filed in the Common Courts in Portugal.
We shall be waiting your comments.

Best regards,
Mário Kopke Tulio

ESCRITO POR Mário Túlio
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