A major controversy, dubbed the "PDFgate," has erupted in Argentine football. The scandal began after the match between Rosario Central and Estudiantes de La Plata. Following Rosario Central's victory, players from Estudiantes turned their backs during the traditional "pasillo" (honour corridor), a gesture seen as disrespectful. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) deemed this a violation of protocol and planned to sanction Estudiantes.
The situation escalated when it was revealed that the AFA document establishing the protocol and penalties for the pasillo, Bulletin No. 6625, was allegedly created or modified after the match. This suggests a potential forgery. According to an analysis of the PDF's metadata, the document was created on November 23 at 7:21 PM, during the very match it was supposed to regulate. The official date listed in the document is February 12, 2025. When the irregularity went viral on social media, the AFA allegedly modified the PDF's metadata to appear as if it was edited on February 12th. However, the server registered that the "corrected" version was uploaded on November 24 at 8:09 PM.
Attorney Guillermo J. Tiscornia has filed a criminal complaint against the AFA, accusing them of using a presumably falsified document to sanction Estudiantes. He claims this constitutes a "probable falsification of a private instrument inserted into an institutional resolution." Tiscornia is calling for an immediate investigation and a digital forensic analysis to determine the document's true creation date and any modifications. This case has placed the leadership of the AFA and the involved clubs under intense legal and public scrutiny.
