Controversy in Italy: he plays and trains despite his conviction for sexually abusing a minor

The Italian Michael Liguoriof Paduacontinues to play and train normally with his team despite the fact that last Thursday he was sentenced for the first time by the Court of Teramo (center) to 3 years and 4 months in prison for sexually abusing a minor aged under 14 years in 2018.

The events began on July 5, 2018, when Liguori -at that time 19 years old and player of Notaresco– and a friend met two minor girls Alba Adriaticain Teramo, in the Abruzzo region.

According to the reconstruction of the accusation, the soccer player and his friend went away from the crowded area and forced the girls, aged 14 and 15, to have non-consensual sex.

The player and his defense, who appealed the verdict, denied the latter and always affirmed that the actions were consensual.

The minors immediately went to report what happened to the authorities and during the judicial process they declared in Court: “I told him no, he continued anyway,” said the girl, now 20 years old, who says he was abused. through Liguorias can be seen in the official investigation documents, disclosed by the Italian media.

The sentence of the Teramo Court declaring him guilty was made official on Thursday, October 10, two days before the Padua will play against him Giana Erminio in Series C.

On the same day, in which Liguori’s first guilty verdict was announced, the Padovareleased a statement warning that until the sentence is final and ultimately it continues to depend on the player.

“Calcio Padova has learned the news about the first time ruling regarding their player Michael Liguori“The president Francesco Peghin and the executive director Alessandra Bianchi have declared that the company will not express any kind of assessment on this matter until the Justice has issued a final decision,” the statement released.

In fact, Liguori He took the field for 32 minutes in the victory over Giana Erminio that kept Padova top of its group in the third category of Italian football.

The uproar and the club’s decision not to fire the player caused controversy in Italy, especially in Padova.

“Faced with such a harsh sentence, even for the first time, the club can and should send a different message, at least showing more sensitivity not only to the alleged victim, but also to the cultural context which, with difficulty, is being done. tried to build a context in which increasing attention should be paid to the issue of gender violence and femicides,” he said. Chiara Gallani, a municipal councilor of the City Council of Padua, criticizing the club’s decision of his municipality.

Liguori’s case is very similar to the case of Manolo Portanovawho, on the other hand, saw his contract with Genoa come to an end due to the suspension imposed on him by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) after being convicted, also for the first time, in December 2022.

After filing an appeal, which Liguori also did, the FIGC declared itself incompetent in Portanova’s case, so he was able to return to play for Reggiana in August 2023, a team where he has been unquestionable since then, waiting for a new trial. .

for now, Liguori He will also be able to continue playing normally despite the controversy, until the case reaches a new trial where the final sentence is handed down and he is ultimately declared innocent or guilty of sexually abusing a minor if where he was accused of being 14 years old when he was 19.