We received and decided to publish this interesting testimony by the international portuguese referee Antonio Cardoso, who reported a fact happened during the last round match between SL Benfica and SL Olivais, as a great and positive example of FAIR PLAY.



Dear Mico:

Last Sunday, I had the great pleasure and chance to take part in a wonderful Futsal spectacle, officiating the match between S. L. Benfica vs S. L. Olivais (5-5), two of the most emblematic teams in this “garden at the edge of the sea”, in Benfica’s Hall.
Technical concepts aside, ‘cause it’s “another story”, it was an amazing match, emotive, with inconstant score, with both team players fighting always for the ball, looking for nice and productive skills and movements. And in such kind of matches, as it was, usually the players forget the Fair-Play and other principles, under the importance associated with the “points religion”. That’s the reason that persuaded me to write a few words to our Futsal Bible, futsalplanet.com.

Then:
During the 2nd half, in one action near the corner arc, Pedro Estrela (Olivais) and André Lima (Benfica) fell down, out the pitch. Quickly, Lima restarts the action, looking for the counterattack, due to a unfavourable score. Running in the opponent side direction, benefiting the numerical advantage, he got the notion that his colleague was stucked in the suspended net, behind the goal line and… he stopped, kicking the ball, trough the sideline!
Nowadays, when the end justifies the way, whatever is the procedure to determine the winner, we shall remark that good moment, ‘cause it becomes rare in life matters, speccially in sports. And as in Portuguese language rare means extraordinary, I’d like to share it with everybody envolved in our FutsalPassion.
André Lima, still being an example, still doing it well! To be a champion is really more than to be a top-scorer or MVP.
The Futsal must say THANKS A LOT. People like you give more passion and respect to us!


António Cardoso








Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com