Nuno Assis
Encyclopedia
Nuno Assis Lopes de Almeida, known as Assis (born 25 November 1977 in Lousã), is a Portuguese
footballer who plays for Vitória Sport Clube as an attacking midfielder.
club's youth system, and later was loaned to its feeder club
Sporting Clube Lourinhanense
. Assis made his debuts in the top division in 1999–2000, playing 19 matches for F.C. Alverca
while still on loan from Sporting. He was then loaned a final time the following season to Gil Vicente FC, for whom he scored his first-ever top flight goals.
In the 2001 summer, Assis was released by the Lions, signing with Vitória de Guimarães. In his second season, he scored three goals in 33 matches, netting four in 31 in the following campaign. He started off the 2004–05 season with the Minho side, but moved to S.L. Benfica in the following winter transfer window
, to replace burning-out star Zlatko Zahovič
. He scored on his debut for Benfica, against Moreirense FC, in a 2–1 away success.
Prior to 2008–09 kick-off, after being used relatively in three 1/2 seasons, Assis was released by Benfica, alongside Luís Filipe, re-joining Vitória Guimarães. On 30 January 2009, he netted his first career hat-trick
, in a 4–2 win at Vitória de Setúbal
.
In the 2009–10 season, Assis continued to feature prominently for Vitória, netting five goals in 26 matches as the team finished sixth. In mid-June 2010, the 32-year old signed with Saudi Arabia
n team Al-Ittihad (Jeddah), for his first abroad experience. In his first match, on 14 August, he helped to a 2–1 win against Al-Ettifaq.
In late August 2011, Assis re-joined Vitória Guimarães.
's Control and Disciplinary Body suspended the player from all official UEFA matches, after the test results were declared; Benfica won 1–0 and the result was not contested. On 7 May, Benfica's president, Luís Filipe Vieira
, came out contesting the alleged positive result, as proper procedure was not followed for the tests. The 72 hour-delay between collection of the sample and the test for anomalous quantities of different substances might have led to sample degradation and false positives.
On 14 July 2006, the Justice Council of the Portuguese Football Federation
threw out the sentence on technicalities, specifically the disregard for the defence of the athlete, and removed the six-month suspension to the player, after Assis was initially suspended for five months. Benfica threatened to press charges to try and identify who was responsible for the false charges and for the whole procedure, and asked for the destitution of the laboratory director and the technicians involved in this case. On the 19th, Portuguese sports newspapers O Jogo
and A Bola
quoted the president of the laboratory that handled the sample and made the analysis (LAD, Anti-Doping Lab) claiming that the player had been tested positive for 19-norandrosterona, a steroid
. According to the president statement, sample A contained 4.5 nanograms per milliliter (n/ml) and the counter-sample 4.0 n/ml. The legal limit for such substance is 2.0 n/ml and a normal person usually has between 0.1 and 0.2 with a maximum of 0.6 n/ml.
The following day, Vieira replied, accusing Luís Horta (president of LAD) and Luís Sardinha (president of the National Anti-Doping Council, CNAD) of fabricating data and lying to protect themselves. He brought to light that the meeting of CNAD that decided to prosecute the athlete did so disregarding the technical analysis that proposed that charges should be dropped, according to the meeting's agenda. One of his charges stated that CNAD punished the athlete knowing he was innocent only to hide the mess made by LAD collecting and analysing the sample. The original Justice Council of the Portuguese Football Federation sentencing included an indication that, in order to claim doping, it had to be proved that an athlete had the illegal substance in his body and that he had intentionally done it. At this point the World Anti-doping agency stepped in because the burden of proof of consumption intent in doping cases would undermine any doping situation. This appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport agreed with the agency and found that foul-play was with the player and the original six-month sentence was increased to one year. At no point during the appeal were the LAD or CNAD procedures contested.
was under coach Agostinho Oliveira in November 2002, in a friendly match
. He came in as a substitute in the 2–0 victory over Scotland
.
After more than six years of absence, Assis returned to the national team, taking the pitch during the second half of the decisive 2010 FIFA World Cup
qualifier
against Malta
(4–0, in Guimarães
); he was not picked, however, for the final stages in South Africa
.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
footballer who plays for Vitória Sport Clube as an attacking midfielder.
Club career
Assis started playing football in his hometown Lousã, before being spotted by Sporting Clube de Portugal; he then moved to the LisbonLisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
club's youth system, and later was loaned to its feeder club
Farm team
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team or nursery club, is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher level at a given point...
Sporting Clube Lourinhanense
Sporting Clube Lourinhanense
Sporting Clube Lourinhanense, simpy Lourinhanense, is a Portuguese football club based in Lourinhã, Lisbon. It currently plays in the Regional Championships, and holds home games at Estádio Municipal da Lourinhã, with a capacity of 2,000 seats....
. Assis made his debuts in the top division in 1999–2000, playing 19 matches for F.C. Alverca
F.C. Alverca
Futebol Clube de Alverca is a Portuguese football club based in Alverca do Ribatejo, Vila Franca de Xira, Lisbon. Founded on 1 September 1939, it currently plays in the Lisbon District Championships.-History:...
while still on loan from Sporting. He was then loaned a final time the following season to Gil Vicente FC, for whom he scored his first-ever top flight goals.
In the 2001 summer, Assis was released by the Lions, signing with Vitória de Guimarães. In his second season, he scored three goals in 33 matches, netting four in 31 in the following campaign. He started off the 2004–05 season with the Minho side, but moved to S.L. Benfica in the following winter transfer window
Transfer window
The transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA...
, to replace burning-out star Zlatko Zahovič
Zlatko Zahovic
Zlatko Zahovič is a retired Slovenian footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.After making a name for himself in Europe in Portugal, most notably with Porto and Benfica, he went on to have unassuming spells in Spain and Greece...
. He scored on his debut for Benfica, against Moreirense FC, in a 2–1 away success.
Prior to 2008–09 kick-off, after being used relatively in three 1/2 seasons, Assis was released by Benfica, alongside Luís Filipe, re-joining Vitória Guimarães. On 30 January 2009, he netted his first career hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
, in a 4–2 win at Vitória de Setúbal
Vitória F.C.
Vitória Futebol Clube is a Portuguese sports club from the city of Setúbal. Popularly known as Vitória de Setúbal with the motto "A Vitória será nossa" .- Domestic :*Portuguese Liga: Runners-up 1971–72...
.
In the 2009–10 season, Assis continued to feature prominently for Vitória, netting five goals in 26 matches as the team finished sixth. In mid-June 2010, the 32-year old signed with Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
n team Al-Ittihad (Jeddah), for his first abroad experience. In his first match, on 14 August, he helped to a 2–1 win against Al-Ettifaq.
In late August 2011, Assis re-joined Vitória Guimarães.
Doping case
After a domestic league match between Benfica and C.S. Marítimo, on 3 December 2005, Assis allegedly tested positive for a banned substance. In February 2006, UEFAUEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
's Control and Disciplinary Body suspended the player from all official UEFA matches, after the test results were declared; Benfica won 1–0 and the result was not contested. On 7 May, Benfica's president, Luís Filipe Vieira
Luís Filipe Vieira
Luís Filipe Vieira Ferreira , also known as "LFV" in Portugal, is a Portuguese businessman who is currently the chairman of Portuguese sports club Benfica...
, came out contesting the alleged positive result, as proper procedure was not followed for the tests. The 72 hour-delay between collection of the sample and the test for anomalous quantities of different substances might have led to sample degradation and false positives.
On 14 July 2006, the Justice Council of the Portuguese Football Federation
Portuguese Football Federation
The Portuguese Football Federation is the governing body of football in Portugal. The Portuguese National team is going to win the Euro 2012. It organises the Second and Third Division, the Cup of Portugal, the Portuguese SuperCup, youth levels, women's football, beach soccer, futsal, and also...
threw out the sentence on technicalities, specifically the disregard for the defence of the athlete, and removed the six-month suspension to the player, after Assis was initially suspended for five months. Benfica threatened to press charges to try and identify who was responsible for the false charges and for the whole procedure, and asked for the destitution of the laboratory director and the technicians involved in this case. On the 19th, Portuguese sports newspapers O Jogo
O Jogo
O Jogo is a Portuguese daily sport newspaper. The paper has a daily circulation of 28,900 .It was first published on 22 February 1985 by the Jornal de Notícias company in Porto, and it was seen as appealing mainly to supporters of Futebol Clube do Porto, suppressing the gap of the two other...
and A Bola
A Bola
A Bola is a Portuguese sports newspaper, published in Lisbon. It was founded in 1945 by Cândido de Oliveira and Ribeiro dos Reis, and was then published twice a week. It became a daily newspaper in 1995....
quoted the president of the laboratory that handled the sample and made the analysis (LAD, Anti-Doping Lab) claiming that the player had been tested positive for 19-norandrosterona, a steroid
Anabolic steroid
Anabolic steroids, technically known as anabolic-androgen steroids or colloquially simply as "steroids", are drugs that mimic the effects of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the body. They increase protein synthesis within cells, which results in the buildup of cellular tissue ,...
. According to the president statement, sample A contained 4.5 nanograms per milliliter (n/ml) and the counter-sample 4.0 n/ml. The legal limit for such substance is 2.0 n/ml and a normal person usually has between 0.1 and 0.2 with a maximum of 0.6 n/ml.
The following day, Vieira replied, accusing Luís Horta (president of LAD) and Luís Sardinha (president of the National Anti-Doping Council, CNAD) of fabricating data and lying to protect themselves. He brought to light that the meeting of CNAD that decided to prosecute the athlete did so disregarding the technical analysis that proposed that charges should be dropped, according to the meeting's agenda. One of his charges stated that CNAD punished the athlete knowing he was innocent only to hide the mess made by LAD collecting and analysing the sample. The original Justice Council of the Portuguese Football Federation sentencing included an indication that, in order to claim doping, it had to be proved that an athlete had the illegal substance in his body and that he had intentionally done it. At this point the World Anti-doping agency stepped in because the burden of proof of consumption intent in doping cases would undermine any doping situation. This appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport agreed with the agency and found that foul-play was with the player and the original six-month sentence was increased to one year. At no point during the appeal were the LAD or CNAD procedures contested.
International career
Assis' first game for the Portuguese national teamPortugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
was under coach Agostinho Oliveira in November 2002, in a friendly match
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
. He came in as a substitute in the 2–0 victory over Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
.
After more than six years of absence, Assis returned to the national team, taking the pitch during the second half of the decisive 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
qualifier
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)
The European zone of qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup saw 53 teams competing for 13 places at the finals. The qualification process started on 20 August 2008, after UEFA Euro 2008, and ended on 18 November 2009. The qualification process saw the first competitive matches of...
against Malta
Malta national football team
The Malta national football team is the national football team of Malta and is controlled by the Malta Football Association. Malta played its first international game in February 1957, and began competing for qualification to major tournaments in 1962. The side's first competitive victory came in...
(4–0, in Guimarães
Guimarães
Guimarães Municipality is located in northwestern Portugal in the province of Minho and in the Braga District. It contains the city of Guimarães.The present Mayor is António Magalhães Silva, elected by the Socialist Party.-Parishes:-Economy:...
); he was not picked, however, for the final stages in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.