)
At the heart of Petro de Luanda’s suspension from all Angolan competitions is an audio file, that went viral, in which Petro player Márcio Luvambo is heard confirming that the club paid Academica three million kwanzas (€3,300) to fix a match in last season’s Angolan Cup.
Petro de Luanda has called for calm amidst the storm that threatens their immediate future following their suspension from all football related activities for at least two years.
Petro, were suspended by the the Angolan Football Federation (FAF) over allegations of match-fixing during the Angolan Cup last season.
FAF punished four clubs including Kabuscorp, Académica, 1º de Agosto and Petro - the leading club in the country, defending champions, holders of the domestic cup.
Petro are also Angola’s representative in the CAF Champions League and the continent’s premier club competition, the African Football League (AFL), with their participation hanging in the balance following the suspension.
However, the club has responded swiftly, releasing an official statement over the weekend revealing that Petro had initiated an appeal process in response to the suspension.
The club's statement read, "Atlético Petróleos de Luanda hereby announces that it has become aware of the content contained in Official Communiqué no. 31/SG/23 of 31 August of the Angolan Football Federation (FAF) which, with immediate effect, as a result of the deliberation of the Council of Discipline (CD), suspends our association from all football activities for a period of 2 (two) years."
Expressing their disagreement with the FAF's decision, Petro de Luanda emphasized that they strongly repudiated the suspension, citing a lack of factual and legal grounds for its imposition.
The statement further conveyed, "Atlético Petróleos de Luanda vehemently repudiates the decision made by the CD, due to the lack of facts and legal grounds for its application."
At the heart of Petro de Luanda’s suspension from all Angolan competitions is an audio file, that went viral, in which Petro player Márcio Luvambo is heard confirming that the club paid Academica three million kwanzas (€3,300) to fix a match in last season’s Angolan Cup.
Petro de Luanda president Tomas Faria spoke of the “enormous strangeness” of the suspension and rejected all the allegations.
“First of all, it is important to clarify a fundamental point, in a statement that easily confuses people,” he said in a press briefing.
“The alleged conviction of Petro de Luanda, which resulted in our suspension, will be taken to the FAF jurisdictional body in the appeal.”
“And, I reiterate, [it is] not related to cases of corruption, but rather due to an alleged lack of truth and duty of collaboration,” said Faria.
“Atletico PetróIeos de Luanda is not or has not been involved in any acts of corruption, has not been indicted or accused of any practice of corruption and has not been convicted on direct or indirect grounds related to acts related to disruption.”
Petro were due to play Denis Onyango’s Mamelodi Sundowns in the quarter finals of the Africa Super League.
The first leg, scheduled for October 21 in Angola, will be followed by the return leg in South Africa on October 24.
They are also scheduled to play Mazambique’s Uniao Desportive do Songo in the play off round of the CAF Champions League later this month.
Meanwhile kick-off to the Angola Griabola League has been postponed to allow time for the issue to be resolved.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)