The summit of Argentine soccer leaders convened by
Claudio Chiqui Tapia
took place this Monday at noon at the
AFA
grounds in Ezeiza and, according to what was officially reported from the Professional League, two topics were discussed: quarterfinals of the League Cup and the economic and financial Fair Play.
However,
the central issue was another: that of the arbitrations and the quarrels that were aired after a week of controversies, complaints and media crossovers.
And the message was clear.
It was not on the agenda, but as
Clarín
learned ,
the Argentine soccer boss asked his peers that if they have any complaints, they should do so behind closed doors and not publicly
.
Let the criticism be internal and not in the media.
And he urged the presidents of the clubs to discipline players, coaching staff and employees on how to channel complaints and avoid generating greater tension among fans and members.
Message addressed to Independiente and Carlos Tevez, of course...
But also to the rest of the clubs.
In the same sense, will there be a slap on the wrist for referee
Pablo Dóvalo
and his boss
Federico Beligoy
after the document letter with a criminal and civil complaint that they sent to the coach of Independiente?
Within the AFA, this action also fell badly.
"If they want to talk about the referees, here, at all the meetings, Beligoy comes.
They call me, pick up the phone and talk to me.
They have any doubts, we follow them together. They want to change something, we all change it...", It was, words more, words less, the guideline that Tapia conveyed to his troops.
Headed by president @tapiachiqui, the Executive Committee meeting of the @afa Professional Football League was held, in which two topics were especially discussed:
☑️ Quarterfinals of the #CopaSurFinanzas 🏆
☑️ Economic and financial Fair Play pic.twitter.com/qiRhuZWDuq
— Professional Football League (@LigaAFA) March 11, 2024
Who was in Ezeiza
The conclave, held in the meeting office of the building where the VAR operates - paradoxically - on the
Lionel Andrés Messi
property , was commanded by the brand new Board of Directors of the AFA, whose members are Chiqui Tapia himself, the general secretary of the institution and president of Racing, Víctor Blanco, treasurer Pablo Toviggino and general director, Gustavo Lorenzo.
The CEO of the Professional League, Francisco Duarte, was also present, as well as the representatives of the 28 clubs in the category.
"In my capacity as pro-secretary, I participated in the AFA Executive Committee meeting. We resolved various issues regarding the situation and
agreed on lowering the level of prevailing hostility . This is the natural environment where the protagonists of Argentine football must express themselves,"
Luciano
said.
Nakis
, one of Tapia's main flankers who is a member of Deportivo Armenio, but like his father, Noray, is active in Independiente politics.
In my capacity as pro-secretary, I participated in the AFA Executive Committee meeting.
We resolved various issues regarding the situation and agreed on lowering the level of prevailing hostility.
This is the natural area where the protagonists of Argentine football must express themselves.
pic.twitter.com/CSDMpiMrtg
— Luciano Nakis (@LucianoNakis) March 11, 2024
After the formal meeting that lasted around two hours,
photos began to circulate rapidly
, in a display of leadership unity that seeks to lower the waters.
Everything happens, as Julio Humberto Grondona patented, one thousand percent.
Clarín
had anticipated this situation last week.
Image is everything for leaders.
Once the assembly was over there was time for relaxation.
The leaders shared a barbecue in the barbecue area, where
Tapia was smiling, in the middle of River and Boca
.
To the left of him was Ignacio Villarroel, second vice president of
Millonario
and to the right of him, Ricardo Rosica, general secretary of
Xeneize
.
And they were escorted by Toviggino on one side and Blanco on the other.
The image only confirmed the versions.
While they shared ribs and salads washed down with cola and water, the real content of the talk began to be known.
An important change
Proof that the message of unity must be strictly followed is that Tapia announced that the punishment system will be modified for members of the technical bodies who sign a form and are expelled.
The suspension can no longer be purged by paying a fine, but rather they must comply with the dates effectively and will not be able to enter the field of play.
The financial fine is a "trap" that coaches used to resort to to complain and protest without incurring greater costs.
The ticket price is set by the AFA and, in general, does not represent a big loss for the club.
Background
The meeting, which was already called in advance, was highly anticipated after the war that broke out on social networks between Tevez and the AFA, after the bombs dropped by the Independiente coach due to Dóvalo's scandalous refereeing in the match between Rojo and Barracas Central on the Huracán field, which ended tied 2 to 2 and in which the AFA boss's team benefited from the referee rulings.
Carlitos came out angry and threw heavy ammunition against the refereeing at the press conference.
The presidents of the 28 clubs of the Professional League met at the AFA premises in Ezeiza.
"It's like a stream warning you that it's going to rob you and then it goes and robs you
," the Rojo coach said.
And there Toviggino appeared on the scene, who called him out on Twitter, getting into a fight to which no one had invited him.
"As you were not so studious in the DT course (I say through the Analytical) there are surely things that you see confusing. Strange of you, while playing you committed jail fouls and they only ended in yellow!! I also did not listen to you in some previous games, which I reserve. Anyway, Wind Memory!!!"
Toviggino, Claudio Tapia's right-hand man and strong man in that field that combines sport, business and national politics, wrote on Twitter.
The former Boca player who did not keep quiet and sang I want a rebuttal to the leader.
"It seems to me that so many comings and goings to Pilar are making you lose a little bit Toviggino. Apart from the collection of old and imported cars that you accumulate in Pilar, you also bury the bags that you brought from Qatar and from the friendlies in China. Memory, Alí Baba,"
Tevez shot.
And on Sunday, after receiving the document letter from referee Dóvalo, he redoubled the bet.
"There is (sic) Pablito Pablito…. Let's not waste the lawyers' time and tell me where I am sending you the envelope" (sic)"
, was Tevez's message.
The DT's message to Toviggino, which had the supportive nod of Sergio Kun Agüero and former referee Javier Castrilli, hints at alleged acts of corruption that would involve the AFA treasurer for alleged improper profits and returns from the participation of the National Team. Argentina in the last World Cup and on one of its last tours.
These are versions that circulate in the football underworld, but have not yet been formalized as complaints in Justice.
The presidents of the 28 clubs of the Professional League met at the AFA premises in Ezeiza.
It is not the first time that Toviggino uses social networks as a disciplinary instrument.
Every time a leader or a coach or anyone complains about the refereeing, the man from Rosario who made Santiago del Estero his homeland comes out to counterattack.
The vice president of Students, Juan Sebastián Verón, suffered it;
the president of River, Jorge Brito;
the coach of Belgrano, Guillermo Farré;
Godoy Cruz's team;
Juan Pablo Fassi, son of Andrés, president of Talleres;
Javier Zanetti.
They were all victims of the intimidating messages.
In return, Toviggino was the one who brought together, also through a tweet, the club leaders who came out in chorus to support Massa's candidacy after Javier Milei's intention went viral, days before the ballot that anointed him as president, to open the doors to public limited companies in Argentine soccer.
It was a blow that did not manage to erase the figure of the libertarian.
Ultimately, these were favors that Toviggino had to return since, as Clarín learned, for four years he was paid as an advisor to the Chamber of Deputies of the Nation, where he had been appointed by his personal friend Sergio Massa.
The category to which his appointment belongs -A2- currently corresponded to a monthly salary of 1.7 million pesos.
It was initially revealed that he had resigned on December 5, but only last Wednesday he was removed from the lower house system.
Toviggino continued the fight over X (former Twitter) with tweets that contained encrypted phrases, only for experts.
And with repeated threats.
"He who asks the most, he dies first
," he attacked.
Could Tapia's order have also reached him so that his right hand is no longer publicly exposed?