Football: Former coach Victor Piturca reportedly detained in corruption case tied to COVID purchases

Prosecutors of the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) reportedly detained Victor Piturca, former football player and coach of Romania's national team, in a corruption case tied to acquisitions of medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Euronews Romania, the investigation targets non-compliant masks delivered to Ministry of Defense hospitals.

Local news agency Agerpres quoted judicial sources saying that the general director of Romarm, Gabriel Tutu, has been detained in the same case.

Victor Piturca is reportedly accused of having helped his son to obtain a contract with the Romanian Army for the delivery of masks to military hospitals. The protective masks were found to be non-compliant.

Victor Piturca, 66, was Romania's national team coach three times: 1998/1999, 2004/2009 and 2011/2014. Throughout his career, he also coached the Steaua Bucharest, Universitatea Craiova and Al-Ittihad teams. As a player, he was part of the Steaua Bucharest team that won the European Champions Cup in 1986 and the European Super Cup in 1987.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Bogdan Danescu)