The Supervision, Normalization and Representation Commission carried out by the Higher Sports Council (CSD) on April 25 to closely follow developments in the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), which Pedro already officially presides over as elected Rocha, has not pleased either UEFA or FIFA. The two governing bodies of football seem to harbor well-founded suspicions that the aforementioned Commission could actually be a subterfuge used by the Government to intervene in the RFEF, in the eternal focus of corruption, now under the last mandate of the investigated Luis Rubiales.
So much so that the general secretaries of both bodies, Mattias Grafstrom (FIFA) and Theodore Theodoridis (UEFA), last Saturday sent a very harsh letter to José Manuel Rodríguez-Uribes, Secretary of State for Sports, demanding explanations and in which They do not rule out “taking additional measures.” A warning that has had a quick and forceful response from the Spanish leader.
And the threat is more real than it may seem and the presence of Spain in the next Euro Cup, which Germany will host from next June 14, could be in the air. Also the participation of Spanish clubs in the upcoming continental tournaments and, above all, the dispute of the 2030 World Cup in Spanish territory, an event that must be ratified in December by FIFA. It should be remembered that it would not be the first time that the highest football governing body has sanctioned federations for “government interference”, as happened for example with Zimbabwe in 2022 without going any further.
The letter sent by FIFA and UEFA to Uribes, revealed by AS, is a harsh criticism of the CSD and shows deep concern “about the fact that the appointment of such a Commission could significantly affect the RFEF’s obligation to manage their affairs independently and without undue influence.” In other words, from Switzerland, where both organizations are based, they do not want any type of political interference in the management of the RFEF, as regulated in their respective statutes.
The letter urges Uribes to respond before Friday, May 3, to questions such as “On what legal and/or factual basis was the Commission appointed? What is the composition of the Commission and who appointed its members? What is the exact mandate of the Commission? What are the powers of the Commission? What relationship does the Commission have with the statutory decision-making bodies of the RFEF?”
The Secretary of State has not waited for the deadline to expire and yesterday he responded, also by letter. “The irresponsible thing would be to sit idly by, do nothing, while the damage to the reputation, good name or image of Spanish football continues to grow,” emphasizes Uribes, who recalls Pedro Rocha’s “investigated” status. “You can rest assured: everything that is done through this Commission will be within the law,” he adds.
We must not forget that the CSD meets tomorrow with a possible sanction for the president of the RFEF on the table.
