Author: Vishwajit Sawant
Former Corinthians coach Cuca has spoken out for the first time since leaving the club last Wednesday. Convicted of raping a 13-year-old girl in Switzerland in 1987, Cuca revealed to “UOL” that he is currently in Curitiba with his family, “putting the pieces together” and trying to understand what is going on.
Cuca left Corinthians three days ago at the direct request of his family. He was hired on the 20th and led the team in just two games, qualifying them for the next stage of the Copa do Brasil.
At the presentation press conference at Corinthians, the coach denied the accusations, but court documents reveal that he was convicted and sentenced to 15 months in prison in 1989 for the alleged crime. However, because Brazilian law does not extradite natural-born citizens, Cuca did not serve time in Switzerland.
The revelation of Cuca’s past generated controversy, with many people questioning Corinthians’ decision to hire him as coach. The club has yet to comment on the situation.
Cuca’s conviction highlights the need for organizations to thoroughly vet their employees to ensure that they are not placing individuals with criminal records in positions of power and influence.