Corinthians face protest for hiring Cuca despite conviction

Corinthians have confronted backlash from its ladies’s facet following the hiring of Alexi “Cuca” Stival as males’s crew head coach over his conviction of rape in 1987.

Cuca, 59, changed sacked Fernando Lazaro final week following Corinthians’ 1-0 loss to Argentinos Juniors within the Copa Libertadores.

Cuca was convicted in absentia in 1987 by a Swiss courtroom to fifteen months’ imprisonment for partaking in a sexual act with a minor two years earlier whereas taking part in for Gremio, a sentence he by no means served as a result of he left the nation earlier than the conviction.

Cuca denied any wrongdoing.

Members of the Corinthians ladies’s crew, together with coach Arthur Elias, issued a joint assertion with the slogan “Respect women” on their social media on Sunday to precise their disapproval.

The statement read: “Being in a democratic club means that we can use our voice, sometimes publicly, sometimes behind the scenes. ‘Respect young women’ is not just any phrase. It is, above all, a state of mind and a shared commitment. Being Corinthians means living and fighting for rights every day.”

A bit of followers additionally gathered exterior the membership’s headquarters on Friday to voice their discontent.

“I have respect for women. I never touched her,” Cuca said at his unveiling. “I was at other clubs and I was never questioned. My error was to never have defended myself. I didn’t because I did not have money and I didn’t know about it.

“We went to double examine and thrice, it was not that I used to be not recognised it was that I used to be not there. If the sufferer mentioned that I used to be not there, I swear to Our Lady of Aparecida, whom I like essentially the most on this planet. There is the protest and that’s truthful. But, why do I owe an apology to society if I didn’t do something?”

“I do not plan to remain at residence in hiding. I’m harmless and my conscience is evident. I didn’t even know there was a trial [at that moment]. I came upon in regards to the sentencing one 12 months afterward,” he added.

Quite a few Atletico Mineiro followers protested Cuca’s hiring as their supervisor in February 2021. He later left the membership by mutual consent in November.

He has beforehand spent teaching spells at numerous Brazil’s main golf equipment since he started his teaching profession in 1998.

Corinthians misplaced 3-1 at Goias in Sunday’s league sport, Cuca’s first sport in cost.