A Portuguese court on Thursday convicted 41 Sporting Lisbon fans of the violence they committed against staff and players. The court sentenced 9 men to five years prison terms, and sentenced 29 others to suspended prison terms of up to four years and ten months, and fined a further 3 others.
A group of angry hooligans forced their way into Sporting’s training centre in Portugal in May 2018 and assaulted its staff and players included striker Bas Dost. Masked fans have reacted furiously to Sporting missing out on a Champions League spot on Sunday after a 2-1 defeat to Maritimo.
Dost, who is now under contract with Eintracht Frankfurt, was one of the players beaten by the hooligans. He suffered a head wound that had to be stitched and announced in a lawsuit in February that the attack left its mark both physically and mentally.
At the time, Chairman Bruno de Carvalho was accused at the time of causing the turmoil in the assault on the squad, causing all the unrest, but he was cleared of all charges by the judge. Carvalho was already dismissed as president in June 2018.
“I feared for my life, it was terrible. I didn’t dare to be alone after that, especially when I went down the street or to the supermarket. I felt safe at home alone,” Dost said.
The 31-year-old striker arrived on the River Main on the back of three sensational seasons at Sporting Lisbon. A total of 76 goals in 83 league appearances brought him a Portuguese Cup, two Portuguese League Cups and the 2016/17 Primeira Liga’s top scorer award, with 34 goals in 31 appearances.
Dost joined Eintracht Frankfurt in 2017. He is currently struggling with the German club against relegation from the Bundesliga, which has resumed as the first European top league more than a week ago since the outbreak of coronavirus.
