Former Catalan referee Xavier Estrada Fernández has stirred controversy once again with his remarks about the refereeing body and its relationship with Catalonia, insisting that what he described as "hatred of Catalans" lies behind the poor representation of Catalan referees in the top flight.
Sharp words about the refereeing system have made Estrada Fernández a familiar name in the headlines. He keeps up a steady stream of criticism aimed at the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) and what he considers corruption within it.
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Speaking on the Catalan podcast "La Reinaixença", the former La Liga official addressed the issue bluntly: "Unfortunately, there are very few Catalan referees in the top flight." Asked why, he pointed the finger squarely at "hatred of Catalans".
His argument rests on the numbers. Catalonia holds the largest number of federation licences for players, coaches and referees, yet it ranks among the least represented regions at the highest levels of officiating.
"We can count the referees who reach the top flight, or officiate international matches, on the fingers of one hand," he added.
None of this is new, he insists. The pattern stretches back decades. "We have more than 2,000 registered referees, but if we look historically at the number of those who reached the highest levels, we will find that they are very few."
Referees should be judged on ability, Estrada Fernández stressed, not on where they come from. "The problem we face is that referees must be assessed on the basis of their skills, and never on the basis of the region they come from, but this happens a great deal."
A new path
The intervention reopens a debate Estrada has returned to time and again, firing repeated criticism at the Spanish refereeing body. Since hanging up his whistle, he has moved into politics.
He explained the switch: "I found the idea interesting when they presented it to me, and I thought I could contribute through my experience in the sporting field, especially as the position of councillor is elected, and allows its holder to be a link between citizens and the administration."
Refereeing, then, is firmly in his past. Estrada Fernández has closed that chapter for good and set off on a new professional path in politics.