Athletico’s coach, Cuca, made his debut in charge of the team last Sunday (10) with a 6-0 victory over Londrina at Ligga Arena in the quarter-finals of the Paranaense Championship. He also made a statement about the conviction for sexual assault against a minor and coercion, which was overturned by the Regional Court of Berna-Mittelland in Switzerland earlier this year.
After answering questions from journalists, Cuca read the statement written by him with the help of his wife and daughters. In the statement, the coach acknowledged past mistakes and stated that he will be an active voice in the fight against violence towards women.
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Statement at Athletico
After his debut in charge of Athletico, the coach read a statement produced in collaboration with his wife and daughters.
In the statement, Cuca apologized for past mistakes, committed to assisting in the fight, and being an active voice in the fight against violence towards women, especially in the football environment.
“I confess to you that I am nervous. It is a very serious, very important topic.
I wrote this to avoid the risk of making mistakes because I am not good with words, I am very ‘football guy.’ I wanted to talk about the last few months that I have experienced. Almost a year ago, I left Corinthians, and you can imagine what I am going through and how much I am reflecting. Before speaking, I needed to listen to my wife, my daughters. I wrote this text with their help. Because I still do not feel knowledgeable enough to talk about something so strong. For them and for all women, I wrote and do not want to make mistakes.
I have listened to opinions and tried to understand my role. Earlier this year, I read a column by Milly Lacombe from UOL, where she said that this was not about me. I understood what she meant. It’s not just about me, but it is also about me. I chose to withdraw for a long time, but I managed to continue my life, while a woman who experiences any kind of violence cannot move on with her life without remaining hurt, carrying the impact forever. I was able to continue my life. The world of football and the world of men had never demanded anything from me, but the world is changing, and I think it is for the better.
It is no use for me to be a great coach, husband, father, grandfather, brother if I do not understand that the world is more than football and that I am part of these things. I saw the problems but remained silent because society allowed me, as a man, to be silent. Today I understand that silence sounds like cowardice. I have sought to listen more, understand more, learn more.
I cannot change the past. Many men now listen to me and are able to look back at their actions. We know that the world is a different place for men and women, and when we see this, we may resist it, but things begin to change. However, honest and true changes take time, require dedication, study, are painful and challenging.
Reality must be transformed so that the world becomes a safer place for women. The world of football is still a world of much prejudice. I understand that when I am asked for something, it is not just about me; it is about how we treat women. I am not saying this as an isolated statement to please someone or just words. If it were so, I would have spoken before. I say this from the heart.
I want and commit to being part of the transformation. I will do this with the power of education. I want to help. I want to shed light, use the voice I have to educate myself while educating other men as well, especially young men who love football. Sudden success is a challenge. Many get lost along the way with fame and money. We are led to believe that we can do everything, including disrespecting women. We need to give younger ones the opportunity not to make mistakes as many of us have made. That is where we can sensitize ourselves, make them think, guide them. Success, money, and fame are useless if you lose your way.
I thought I was free from my anguish when I resolved my problem with the annulment of the process and compensation. But I understood that it was not over because it did not only depend on the judicial decision but that I needed to understand what society expected from me. What you will see from me from now on will not be words; they will be actions. But thank you for listening to me today.”
Cuca’s case in Switzerland
Athletico’s coach, Cuca, was sentenced in Switzerland to 15 months in prison for sexual assault and coercion against a minor in 1989 when he was a player for Grêmio. The Brazilian never served the sentence and saw the process overturned at the beginning of 2024.
