BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Professional football clubs in Argentina have decided to hold a strike from March 5-8 in response to what they perceive as judicial harassment of Argentine Football Association president Claudio Tapia.
The announcement of the strike on Monday followed a judge’s summons for Tapia to provide testimony on March 5 regarding allegations of misappropriating social security contributions.
This investigation originates from a complaint lodged by the government’s Customs Revenue and Control Agency (ARCA).
The executive committee of the professional league unanimously agreed to suspend all first division matches and other league games from March 5-8 “in protest against the complaint filed by ARCA,” as stated by the AFA in an announcement.
Last Friday, Judge Diego Amarante imposed a travel restriction on Tapia and summoned four additional officials to appear for questioning in early March as part of an inquiry into the non-payment of social security contributions amounting to 19 billion pesos ($13 million) for the years 2024 and 2025.
The other officials called to testify in the same matter include AFA treasurer Pablo Toviggino, general secretary Cristian Malaspina, general director Gustavo Lorenzo, and former Racing Club president Víctor Blanco, who was involved with the organization during the timeframe under scrutiny.
The complaint from the tax authority alleges that the AFA did not deposit the withheld amounts within 30 calendar days of the due date, resulting in the issuance and notification of the relevant debt notices by the tax collection agency. The AFA has refuted the debt claim and stated in a press release on Monday that “the voluntary payment of these tax obligations was made prior to their due date.”
Just prior to the strike announcement, Judge Amarante permitted Tapia to travel to Colombia and Brazil from Feb. 23-28 for official engagements.
Tapia received an invitation from the Colombian Football Federation to take part in an official event in Barranquilla on Tuesday and was set to attend a CONMEBOL council meeting, where he serves as the second vice president, on Thursday in Rio de Janeiro.
