In the middle of the decisive phase of the Argentine football season – with the Premier League final reduced to the second tier and the final round being defined as the professional league – refereeing was once again at the center of the scene. Controversies, crossed accusations, doubts and discussion of failures have brought the issue back onto the agenda, and while the AFC tries to tone down the criticism, Al Sadra decided to break the silence with a statement that was as broad as it was powerful.
Two weeks ago, Claudio Tapia publicly defended the referees’ overall performance. “Players win and lose games, and sometimes it seems they never lose them, or coaches never make mistakes in their decisions. They always seem to lose because the referee made a mistake,” he stated at the Olé Summit. He later added, “Anyone who watches all the matches knows that there is human error that the media ignores and does not show. Argentine refereeing is not that bad.”
Tapia also pointed out the accusations that usually surround Paracas Central and other teams accused of their leadership ties. He expressed: “There is always the suggestion, but it has always been there, since Grondona with Arsenal.” To reinforce his position, he cited concrete examples. “They say Riestra has gone 25 matches without losing at home. How many matches are going to be in his favour?” question. Then he recalled the Aldosivi case: “They said I would get hurt because I was from San Juan.” For Tapia, the facts ended up refuting those stories: “He lost and San Martin was relegated.”
However, while the president of the Argentine Football Association tried to put the criticism in context and separate leadership responsibility, the Sports Referees Association of the Argentine Republic (SADRA) chose a completely opposite path. It published an institutional statement that crudely revealed an internal crisis that, according to the union, had been deepening for years.
The text issued by Sadra begins by noting that “over the past seven years, we have publicly and before the courts condemned various irregularities in arbitration appointments, as well as actions that demonstrated the manipulation of the results.” The union adds that these complaints included issues related to its arbitrators and that “all offers were submitted to the corresponding organizations, without obtaining concrete responses.”
The statement confirms that during that period, actions taken by the authorities, such as “the unjustified exclusion of Sadra,” the creation of “parallel structures,” and “pressure exerted on arbitrators from multiple categories, led to a serious deterioration in the credibility of arbitration throughout the country.”
It stated that “a group of rulers and leaders strongly defended professional integrity, resisted pressure, and maintained institutional continuity.” But he also denounces that “many saw their careers harmed, whether in prospects or appointments, even when court rulings supported their activism.”
The union claims that the extent of the problem is only now beginning to emerge. “Today, after years of complaints, legal action and perseverance, society is beginning to appreciate the seriousness of the situation. Players, captains, journalists and thousands of supporters are demanding profound change in favor of honest and transparent refereeing,” he warned.
“The legacy of corrupt referees is clear to see, and the actions they take match after match too, and we, and all of you, are here to fight that… It’s time to say enough is enough!” He adds.
Finally, SADRA concludes with a direct call to rebuild the Argentine arbitration system. “At SADRA, we reaffirm our commitment to transparency, ethics and professionalism, and call on all actors in Argentine football to build a fairer and more reliable system. For transparent and fair arbitration!” He finishes.