(Periodistas/IFEX) – On Wednesday 17 November 1999, the technical manager of Club Atlético River Plate’s soccer team, Ramon Díaz, filed a suit against journalist Adrián Paenza, who announced publicly that the technical manager has asked for money from certain players in exchange for allowing them to play on the team. The journalist made his statements […]
(Periodistas/IFEX) – On Wednesday 17 November 1999, the technical manager of
Club Atlético River Plate’s soccer team, Ramon Díaz, filed a suit against
journalist Adrián Paenza, who announced publicly that the technical manager
has asked for money from certain players in exchange for allowing them to
play on the team.
The journalist made his statements in the magazine “XXII,” and on various
broadcasts of the programme Día D, which is aired on the canal América
television station.. However, the Fair Play Foundation (Fundacion Fair
Play), an organisation dedicated to fairness in Argentinian soccer, also
denounced Díaz before Prelimary Criminal Court Number 26, presided over by
Judge Roberto Murature, for the “possible perpetration of the crimes of
extortion and coercion.” One of the players mentioned, Gustavo Zapata,
declared to the TyC Sports channel that he had no proof against the
technical manager, but neither could he deny Paenza’s accusations.
Díaz, through his legal representative, Madestino Pizarro Míguez, presented
the legal authorities with his defamation claim, and next week all parties
involved must present themselves to Correctional Court Number 8, proceeded
over by Judge Angela Braidot. If they do not come to an agreement, the
journalist could be tried for the crime, which carries a penalty of one
month to one year in prison.
