Luanda – The Disciplinary Committee of the Angolan Football Federation (FAF) suspended Friday Petro de Luanda football squad of all competitions, after the team failed to pronounce themselves over a leaked audio implicating the club in a corruption scheme, ANGOP has learnt.
FAF states that the suspension has been applied after the team, when requested to comment about the audio that impacted the sport in the country for the worst reasons, claimed to be officially unaware of the content.
"Therefore, under the terms of Article 19 of the FIFA Code of Ethics, which is subsidiarily applicable by virtue of Article 2(n) of the FAF Statutes, the disciplinary body suspends the organisation with immediate effect from all football activity for two years", reads the FAF statement.
The team will be prevented from competing in any competition during this period, for failing to fulfil their duty to collaborate with the FAF in the disciplinary process against them.
The facts date back to June when a leaked audio on social media in which Angolan coach Agostinho Tramagal revealed details of Académica do Lobito 's 1-0 victory over 1.° de Agosto.
In the audio, the coach is heard saying that he received three million kwanzas from Petro de Luanda to win the match with 1ºde 'Agosto to aid Petro de Luanda rise to first position of the national first division football championship Girabola 2022-23.
Agostinho Tramagal reports that he kept one million for himself and split the remaining two million among the players.
In the said recording the coach claims that he refused 1º de Agosto’s seven million kwanzas offer to lose the match, adding that he did everything he could to allow Kabuscorp do Palanca to win the semi-final of the Angolan Cup, which did not happen.
Following the deliberations of the Disciplinary Board, Clube Desportivo 1.° de Agosto are punished with a fine of 2,000 UCF (1 UCF equals 88 kwanzas), to be paid within a period of no more than 20 days, for failing to fulfil duties towards the FAF.
"Despite having been notified to comment on the content of the audio, which is the subject of the disciplinary proceedings, Petro said nothing, incurring a breach of its duty to co-operate", reads the statement.
With regard to journalist Adolfo Manuel, of the National Radio of Angola, who was cited as an intermediary in the practice of corruption, copies of the records were recommended to the Board of Directors of the Radio, the Journalists Ethics Commission, as well as the Sports Press Association (AIDA), so that, if they deem it appropriate, they can open the appropriate disciplinary proceedings.
Coach José Alberto Agostinho "Tramagal" has been suspended with immediate effect for four years and fined 6,000 UCF for corruption.
Kabuscorp Sport Clube do Palanca club owner Bento dos Santos Kangamba has also been suspended with immediate effect from all football activity for corruption, for a period of four years and punished with a fine of 6,000 UCF.
Considering that the Palanca club were the main beneficiaries of the agreement to manipulate the results of the Angolan Cup, FAF relegated the club to the second division for corruption and fined them 80,000 UCF.
Académica Petróleos Clube do Lobito have been relegated for corruption in the match of the Angola Cup and a fine of 80,000 UCF.
According to the document, the player Márcio Armando Gonçalves Luvambo also made false statements by claiming the audio was edited.
As a result, he was suspended from all football activity, with immediate effect, for one year, for violation of the duty to co-operate in this disciplinary process and corruption and also sanctioned with a fine corresponding to 3,000 UCF.
MC/Amp/jmc
