The athlete Ênio, Juventude striker, for the second time had his name mentioned in a warning report about possible manipulation in a game held in this year’s Brazilian Championship.
The information, released by GZH, and the case involves a yellow card received by the player in the match against Fortaleza. Thus, the match ended with Juventude’s 5-0 defeat, on the 10th of this month, in the Série A.
According to reports, bookmakers received an abnormal volume of bets for the athlete to receive the card. However, a similar case also had repercussions in the first round of Série A, in the game against Vitória.
RCF Sports, the group representing the player, has spoken out in defense of the athlete. According to his agents, Ênio was acquired by Juventude from Amazonas for more than one million reais earlier this year.
In the statement, therefore, RCF states that there is no concrete proof of the suspicions about the athlete and asked Juventude to be balanced and responsible. This is because the club also issued an official statement after receiving information about the recurrence.
“Esporte Clube Juventude informs that, given the recurrence of publicly disclosed facts that led to the opening of an investigation by the competent authorities involving the athlete Ênio, it will adopt, internally, the appropriate measures.
The Club reaffirms its total and unrestricted commitment to integrity, fair play and ethics. Esporte Clube Juventude remains at the disposal of the competent authorities to collaborate with the complete clarification of the facts.”
Check out the official statement from the player’s representatives in full:
“As the legal representative of the athlete Ênio, from Esporte Clube Juventude, I express concern about the recent accusations made, which to date have not been substantiated in any way.
Ênio is a young professional with a history of seriousness, ethics and dedication. We have full confidence in his innocence and believe that the facts will be duly investigated by the competent authorities.
We emphasize that due process and the presumption of innocence are constitutional guarantees that must be respected. Hasty measures, such as the possible removal of the athlete, are equivalent to a public condemnation in advance, causing irreparable damage to the image of the athlete and harming the club itself, which considers the athlete a valuable asset.
We expect Esporte Clube Juventude to be balanced and responsible, reaffirming its commitment to justice, individual rights and support for its professionals. We remain vigilant and will adopt all appropriate measures to protect the integrity, rights and career of the athlete Ênio.”
