The Pope’s visit to Portugal saved player Daniela Lopez from a ban that could reach up to 3 years. All because the striker, who played last season for FC Brito, in the Women’s Third Division, also worked as a sports agent, a role she cannot combine with that of a footballer. The player, who is now without a club, ended up being pardoned due to the Pope’s arrival in Portugal in August this year. In addition to playing football, Daniela Lopez (26 years old) began working as a mediator for players during the 2021/22 season, through her association with Shire Sports Management Company. “During the 2021/2022 sports season, the accused Daniela Lopez, acting as an intermediary for the Shire Sports Management Company, submitted a representation proposal to the coach Miguel Angelo Silva Afonso, with the aim of managing his sports career,” you can read in the ruling.

In addition to representing some players, Daniela Lopez responded badly to the coach’s refusal to represent him and the coach’s threats, in addition to defaming him to the directors of Ofarense and Rio Ave, and was consequently punished with two other disciplinary violations. With art. Article 130 (Threatening and insulting honor, reputation or dignity) Any two additional penalties from one to three years.

Still in the ruling, the sequence of the case can be read. “Subsequently, the Disciplinary Board – Non-Professional Section decided to initiate Disciplinary Process No. 20 (urgent), in which sports agents Miguel Angelo Silva Afonso and Samuel Fernando Pereira da Costa Matos were charged with potentially discriminatory behavior, on the basis of sexual orientation – Harassment in Women’s Football “; “Before the sports agents Miguel Afonso and Samuel Matos, the start of such a process depended essentially on the submission of several anonymous complaints in which the defendant eventually intervened.”