On Friday, the Portuguese Professional Football League (LFPF) decided to cancel five changes to the disciplinary rules of its competitions, which raised doubts from the Disciplinary Board of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF).
Gathered in a general meeting at the LPFP headquarters in Porto, the sports companies present unanimously accepted this decision, explaining it ” main interest of Portuguese football”while ensuring that they do not waive their right to “self-regulate”.
The sports societies have unanimously decided not to amend Articles 150, 225, 259, 261 and 276. They will retain the previous wording. Under no circumstances do societies waive the right and duty to self-regulate within professional competitions,” said LPFP Chairman Mario Costa on behalf of the clubs.
Despite this “retreat” in the face of doubts expressed by the FPF, Rui Caeiro, the League’s chief executive, suggested that the possibility of “incorporating these proposals [de alteração] in the next round of regulatory review,” recalling that the process that led to the correction of the LFPF approved disciplinary regulation on June 7 was “structured, very mature and inclusive, reflecting a long internal and external debate.”
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“As institutional relationships are always a priority for the LFPP, and the clubs have decided to withdraw the five rules that were included in this year’s regulatory changes as they understand that the interests of Portuguese football are superior. But this event does not deprive clubs of the right to self-regulate their competitions,” the manager added.
The LPFP does not question the legality of the rules that were questioned by the FPF and which led to the suspension of the federal body’s last general meeting, but acknowledges that there may be room for “improvement of the proposal”.
“There was no doubt in the LPFP about the legitimacy of the proposals. The ideal situation would be to bring them back to FPF AG and fix them, but if that’s not possible, the intermediate and most reasonable solution at the moment is not to present them in the sense of editing. [do regulamento] which is beyond doubt. There is always an opportunity to improve the rules, but these will not be decisive changes,” explained Paulo Roseria, the legal director of the League.
The lawyer admits that he is “working to make sure these rule changes are irrefutable” but made it clear that the non-enforcement of these rules “does not mean more fragile disciplinary regulation next season.”
Sporting da Covilhã, Paços de Ferreira, Feirense, Mafra and B SAD were not represented at this LFPF meeting.
Sporting did not vote on the proposal because its representative present is part of the league’s management team, but according to Mario Costa, leader of the organization’s general meeting, “intervened and showed himself in accordance with the decisions.”
On the sidelines of the meeting, Rui Caeiro, Chief Executive of the LPFF, commented on the introduction of the VAR system in Ligue 2, ensuring that the body is in touch with the FPF to apply it as early as next season. [2022/23]but if that is not possible right away, “it will become a reality in the 2023/24 season.”