A new era of transparency
After many years of complaints to no avail, someone has finally decided to take action. Perhaps this person also has a personal interest in the matter, perhaps he wants to occupy the chair that others have obtained thanks to their power and a position that has made it easier for them to achieve a greater degree of influence. The presidency of a football federation is one of the sweetest candies you can taste. Millions of euros of budget are managed and controls are minimal. You can place at your side people of the utmost confidence, regardless of their professional competence, and no one will tell you anything. It’s your time, your mansion and your four years – at least – to ensure a well-deserved retirement.
Scandals and corruption
Both in the Spanish and Catalan federations, there have been serious cases of corruption in recent years. There has been falsification of documents, impersonation, diversion of money intended for federal works, irregular purchase of balls, construction of exclusive elevators for important people, hiring of relatives without any qualifications or experience, and we could go on. All this has come to light due to two media cases: the non-consensual kiss of Luis Rubiales to Jennifer Hermoso during the World Cup awards ceremony and the repeat of the elections to the Catalan Federation due to the allegations of two candidates to the presidency Although the scandals come from afar, in recent months the spotlight has been put on these cases.
Impunity and abuse of power
For years, presidents and their cronies have gotten away with acting as if the Federation were theirs. Some, like Rubiales, are being investigated for having collected and distributed commissions and for suspicious awards. Others have benefited clubs that supported them and voted for their proposals at assemblies, and ignored those that did not praise them or showed a preference for another president. These are the rules. If you like them, perfect; if not, you’ll be looking for your life.
Brave complaints
Finally, some brave clubs have decided to take a step forward and denounce the irregularities that I myself alerted in 2016. Eight years ago, in a Catalan media outlet, we published an article entitled ‘Tupinada a l’Assembla General de the Catalan Football Federation’. And the subtitle left no room for doubt: ‘The board of directors of the FCF falsifies notarial acts of clubs to secure more favorable votes’. Exactly the same that is now being investigated by a court in Sabadell following the complaints of several clubs that feel harmed by an alleged plot to falsify notarial acts used in the Federation’s electoral process to favor a candidate, as recognize the general secretary of the FCF before the judicial authority.
An uncertain future
There is still a lot to be resolved in these cases, which have just started their investigation phase, but we have reached a point where the institutions have become involved. FIFA and UEFA are about to intervene in the Spanish Federation. Either they call elections soon, or they take control and call them themselves. And in the Catalan Federation, the Generalitat has given the right to the candidate Juanjo Isern and recognizes that Joan Soteras was president during a period in which he could not be, just after the Catalan Sports Court ordered the repetition of the presidential elections and declared Soteras’ victory invalid. In a few months, Isern’s complaint will be resolved and it will be known whether the current president is disqualified or can keep his position. Isern, by the way, was part of the board of directors of Andreu Subies, which was pointed out for the improper use of notarial acts in the assemblies. Soteras was the official heir for his position as first vice president.
The role of politicians
The big question that remains to be resolved is whether politicians will act seriously to end the impunity of federal leaders. Will they act in the legislative field to prevent the federations from continuing to be the private business of those who govern? There is much work to be done, but it must be done. And politicians have a great responsibility that they cannot avoid.