Former Lions player said that the FC Porto striker was “a Muslim who, when he came to Portugal, didn’t know how to swim and now he knows how to dive”.
The Disciplinary Board of the Portuguese Football Federation opened disciplinary proceedings against Sporting following statements by Carlos Xavier, on September 8, on the Alvalade club’s official television channel.
The former Lions player harshly criticized Mehdi Taremi’s style of play, calling him “a Muslim who, when he came to Portugal, didn’t know how to swim and now knows how to dive”.
At the time, FC Porto reacted immediately with a statement, targeting Sporting and highlighting the seriousness of the statements made.
“What do entities such as SOS Racismo, Amnesty, ERC, European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, Justice of Portugal and the Government think about this xenophobic, racist and hate speech on Sporting television? Or the Commission for Equality and Against Racial Discrimination? This is too serious to go unscathed”, wrote the dragons at the time.
Carlos Xavier came the next day to issue an apology for your words.
“I want to apologize for the words I said last Wednesday. Far be it from me to want to harm anyone; far from me to use xenophobic or racist words, when I have friends of all colors and all religions,” said the former player.
It didn’t take long for the reactions to multiply, passing through Iranian Football Federation at Amnesty International and also by Taremi himself.
The disciplinary process will now move forward and, in accordance with article 113 of the Disciplinary Regulations relating to discriminatory processes, the Alvalade team runs the risk of, if the maximum penalty is applied, playing five games behind closed doors, in addition to the payment the corresponding fine.
The Post Carlos Xavier’s statements about Taremi lead to disciplinary proceedings against Sporting
Originally Posted on desporto.sapo.pt