Javier Tebas has walked into a new confrontation that could carry consequences for his future as president of the Spanish league association. His disputes with Real Madrid have now moved onto a legal track, reopening the file on his relationship with Spanish sporting institutions and raising questions about the penalties he may face in the coming period.
Government move against Tebas
According tothe newspaper AS, the Spanish government announced on Thursday that the Higher Sports Council had decided to act of its own accord. The council filed a complaint against Tebas with the Administrative Court for Sport over remarks in which he compared the communication methods used by Real Madrid and its television channel to the Nazi propaganda associated with Joseph Goebbels, the propaganda minister in Nazi Germany.
Last week, Tebas had spoken of what he described as "the propaganda mechanisms used by Goebbels", a reference to Real Madrid's communication methods. That prompted the Higher Sports Council to ask the court to assess whether the remarks constituted a serious violation affecting the dignity or prestige of sport, in accordance with Spanish sports law.
Mutual respect between sporting figures and institutions is a fundamental pillar for preserving an environment based on coexistence and fair play, the council explained. It noted that the Administrative Court for Sport would assess the extent to which the legal texts apply to the remarks of the president of the Spanish league association.
Does he face the risk of suspension?
Suspension from his duties ranks among the most prominent potential consequences, should the court conclude there was a violation warranting a penalty. Referring the complaint, however, does not mean a decision to convict him or remove him from his position has been issued. The matter depends on the court's assessment of the facts and the relevant legal texts.
Tebas had previously defended his remarks. He stressed that the comparison was limited to propaganda and communication methods, and did not target Nazi ideology or Real Madrid's fans.
He also took aim at the president of the Higher Sports Council, Jose Manuel Rodriguez Uribes, over the possibility of referring the case. Why, he asked, had no similar action been taken over Florentino Perez's remarks about the club being wronged in the title race because of refereeing decisions?
A counter-complaint opens a new front
In a parallel development, the "Transparency and Democracy in Sport" association announced it would file a criminal complaint in the coming days against the president of the Higher Sports Council and his deputy for sports legal affairs, over suspicion of administrative violations linked to failure to perform duty.
Miguel Angel Galan, president of the association, said nine previous complaints against Tebas had remained suspended for more than a year without being referred to the Administrative Court for Sport, even though the law, according to him, requires their referral.
The file now sits before two parallel tracks: a government complaint aimed at assessing Tebas's remarks, and a counter-move that questions how the Higher Sports Council handled previous complaints.
Between the two, the future of the president of the Spanish league association remains tied to what the competent judicial bodies decide.