Mikhail Prokopets: “Sporting’s chances in the case against Izmailov are minimal”

On March 05, the Portuguese newspaper Record published a big declaration by Carlos Severino, a Presidential candidate of the Sporting football club. He promised to sue Marat Izmailov, if he wins the coming elections and if it is proven that the Russian player had pretended to be injured during his career with the Lisbon club.

Mikhail Prokopets, a sports law expert, shared his opinion on the Sporting’s declaration that the Russian half-back Marat Izmailov had feigned injuries when playing for the Lisbon club.

Eurosport.ru gives M.Prokopets’s statement: “I believe that this declaration is a PR trick by the Presidential candidate. You know very well that a lot of ridiculous declarations are made during election campaigns. I can hardly think of a way to prove an injury after some time, to prove that the player had feigned. This is the first such case in my practice.

As far as Marat’s case is concerned, any proof will arise only if he personally accedes the rostrum and says: “Yes, I have feigned”. Also, all employment relations between Izmailov and Sporting terminated, when he transferred to Porto. Therefore, there is no way the Lisbon club could reach its former player with fines or disciplinary sanctions.

The only possibility is to claim damages in court, but this will be even more complicated. We don’t know how the Sporting’s medical staff functioned. Is there documental proof of Izmailov’s injuries? Every club uses its own approach. If Sporting has documents proving Izamilov’s injuries, then the question is to the employees of the medical staff, who should, in principle, have noticed the absence of traumas.

The statements by the people, who spoke to Izmailov and whom the club intends to question, may only be used as indirect evidence in court. Taking into account the fact that all those persons are currently employed by Sporting, and that the management of the club may influence them, the court will regard their statements with criticism. Sporting’s chances in the case are minimal”.

For more details see Eurosport.ru website and also Sports.ru website.