A Portuguese football club has incurred a fine after displaying advertising for a beer brand that directly competes with a major sponsor of the national cup competition.
The Portuguese Football Federation’s Disciplinary Council fined club Tondela approximately $880 USD. The penalty stemmed from an incident during a Portuguese Cup match against Caldas.
Tondela displayed advertising for ‘Estrella Galicia’ beer on stadium hoardings. This brand is a direct rival to ‘Sagres’, which holds the official beer sponsorship for the Portuguese Cup.
An FPF delegate noted the visible advertising during a pitch inspection at Estádio João Cardoso. The delegate requested that António Carmo, Tondela’s field director, cover the advertisements.
According to the disciplinary report, Carmo refused the request. He stated that ‘Estrella Galicia’ is one of the club’s primary official sponsors. He also noted the brand’s logo was clearly visible on the team’s match jerseys.
The report further detailed that Carmo was informed of regulations prohibiting the display of advertising for brands that compete with competition sponsors. Despite this warning, he maintained his position, and the advertising remained uncovered.