A post criticizing a football club for cheating will bring Mayor Emil Boc a lawsuit. At least that's what the representatives of the sports institution declared, who declare themselves shocked by the mayor's “irresponsible statements”.
Emil Boc made serious accusations against a football club. PHOTO: Personal archive
Emil Boc is a fan of Cluj University, a team heavily sponsored by the municipality's budget.
In the context in which the footballers from Cluj University are fighting for play-off qualification and the chances of staying in the First League also depend on the results of other teams, the mayor made serious accusations.
The mayor claimed, in a post on Facebook, that there would have been an arrangement between the Petrolul and Sepsi clubs. The match played on Friday ended with Sepsi winning 2-1. If Petrolul had won, the footballers from Cluj would have escaped their emotions and would have qualified for the play-offs.
The result of the match prompted the mayor to post the following acid message on Facebook, which was quickly deleted:
“Oil – the shame of Romanian football! How not to defend your chances correctly?
How to make a defense simulation for the second goal conceded in the match with Sepsi? Anyone watching this phase can see how you invite and let your opponent score! Please look at Petrolul player Țicu inviting Sepsi to attack! Please look at the player Papp (in the box) from Petrolul how he goes in with both feet so that it is a penalty, and it was a penalty if it was not empty! How do you allow yourself to destroy faith in sport, fair play and fairness?You make fun of such a wonderful sport and you will remain a black spot in the history of Romanian football! Reset fairness in Romanian football because we are sinking into promiscuityBoc claimed.
The post was accompanied by a clip showing the goal in the 2nd minute of extra time by the footballer from Sepsi – Gabriel Debeljuh.
Petrolul reaction: “irresponsible statements”
The Petrolul club representatives reacted vehemently: “The Petrolul Ploiești Club is really dismayed by the irresponsible statements launched in the middle of the night by the mayor of Cluj-Napoca, Mr. Emil Boc, through social networks. The accusations made against our players, as if they had premeditated a negative result and acted accordingly at the end of the lost match, last night, with Sepsi OSK St. Gheorghe, bring serious damage to the image of our club and, implicitly, the whole family Ploiesti Oil.“
The petrolists accuse Boc of “telling lies” in the context of the already launched electoral campaign, in which the mayor wants to appear well in front of the supporters of the Cluj University team.
“The unconsciousness of such statements, however, seriously affects the image of football in general, not only that of the players and our society. As such, we are forced to go to the courts in the shortest possible time”, it is also shown in the club's press release.
“We hope the courts will stamp out the demagoguery”
Oilers claim that a limit of decency and common sense has been crossed far too far.
“Emil Boc, before talking about trust in sports, fair-play and fairness, should look in the yard of the team he shepherds and direct his “venom” at the real culprits. And, then, it would be advisable to also find the explanations why a team that rolls, year after year, good money from the local community budget “manages” to miss its objectivee”, says the quoted source.
The press release shows that Mayor Emil Boc could be sued:
“We lost the match in extra time and with CFR Cluj, for example, another team from the mayor's city, we lost last night as well, as the bad sports form made us lose the last 4 games! But, the one thing we don't want to lose is the trust of our supporters. That's why we hope that the courts will take action and stamp out Mr. Boc's demagoguery and lies!“
The communique is signed by the Board of Directors of Petrolul Ploiești.
