Buenos Aires, December 15 (NA) – The Argentine Football Association (AFA) issued a statement following the complaint filed by National Senator Patricia Bullrich with the Ethics Tribunal of the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol), highlighting the achievements of President Claudio Tapia's management.
According to the Argentine News Agency, the regulator of Argentine football assured that when Tapia took office in 2017, they "found an institution devastated." "During the presidency of Mauricio Macri, we had to endure constant threats of intervention, complaints of bribery, influence peddling, money laundering, and other fabrications, all with the aim of establishing a management model different from the one chosen by Argentine football," the AFA stated.
"Economically, the house of Argentine football was in disarray, with accumulated debts and unfulfilled commitments to the clubs. It was a scenario of total discredit, with the risk of international sanctions and without the trust of fans or society," the association added.
In parallel, the statement highlighted that "from that day to the present, not only was the position it held in world football recovered, but it became a superorganism, as is fashionable to say now, and today it does not receive a single peso from the state. They advanced with the IGJ trying to obstruct the holding of the AFA Assembly and the full democratic exercise of the leadership's right to manifest its free decision through something as simple, clear, and transparent as the act of voting," the AFA adds.
The AFA concluded by highlighting the achievements of Argentine football in terms of both national teams and clubs during this management that began in 2017.
"This clear action was neither casual nor innocent; they were probably defending particular interests," the statement reads.
"Later, during the government of Dr. Alberto Fernández, the former president spoke out publicly against this leadership and tried to appoint his own candidate to lead the destiny of the AFA, obviously against what had been democratically elected. FIFA had to intervene in 2016 with a Normalizing Committee to avoid sanctions and guarantee that, among other things, our Tournaments could continue to be played and our National Teams could continue to compete," the AFA added.
Furthermore, the entity stressed that "the public image was damaged. The dependence on external resources, such as the 'Football for All' program, had left the Association without financial autonomy and with unclear management."
"Institutionally, the panorama was equally critical. After the death of Julio Grondona, the AFA was left without firm leadership. The '38-38' episode in the 2015 elections was a fiasco that showed the world the lack of seriousness in our internal processes."
"Currently, with a staff of 1,300 people (including Technical Staff, Medical Staff, Auxiliary Personnel, Administrative, Referees, Observers, Inspectors), the AFA faces a monthly expenditure in salaries of approximately 4 billion pesos. Debts of up to three months of salaries to the Technical Staff preceding the current management were maintained, all of which was regularized."
"Our 'Lionel Andrés Messi' Training Center is of international level. 24 National Teams, male and female, of all disciplines, train there: football, futsal, and beach soccer. We reiterate, this without subsidies from the National State."
"Approximately 1,000 people transit the Training Center daily, and 400 athletes are fed in its dining rooms."
