Porto chief cleared in bribery probe

Porto president Jorge Pinto da Costa was on Friday cleared of wrongdoing following an investigation into bribery accusations concerning a game in the 2003-04 season, according to legal sources.

Judge Catarina Ribeiro ruled that the accusations against him had not been proven.

Pinto da Costa, who has presided over the club since 1982, was accused of having paid the referee prior to Porto’s drawn match with SC Beira-Mar on 18 April 2004.

Two days before the match, the referee, Augusto Duarte, and a businessman, Antonio Araujo, were entertained by the Porto chief at his home.

According to Pinto da Costa’s accusers, the referee received an envelope containing 2,500 euros.

The three men have always admitted that the meeting took place, but claimed that it was nothing more than a “discussion between friends”, which involved neither the exchange of money nor the demand for favours.

Araujo and Duarte, respectively accused of bribery and corruption, were also declared innocent on Friday.

The case concerns the 2003-04 season, at the end of which Porto were crowned both national and European champions.

The ‘Golden Whistle’ investigation into alleged influence-peddling in Portuguese professional football began in April 2004.

Prosecutors re-opened the investigation into the Porto-Beira-Mar game in January 2007 following testimony from Pinto da Costa’s former partner Carolina Salgado, who accused her ex-lover of supplying gifts, money and even prostitutes to referees.