Juanjo Martínez: “Footballers ON is the injured party”

Juanjo Martínez, president of Futbolistas ON, has been optimistic about the judicial process that started this week in Elche and that he is investigating the AFE leadership for bribery and revealing of secrets. “It is outrageous everything that is happening. Footballers ON is the harmed part of this situation. The bad thing that Futbolistas ON has done is to give an alternative to the players so that they have the option of choosing between unions and deciding their labor representatives. “And he adds: “That is the crime we have committed, trying to provide an alternative to a monopoly situation that has existed for decades.”

The president of the Association of Spanish Footballers, David aganzo, and the general secretary, Diego Rivas, they went on Wednesday to the City of Justice of Elche to declare as being investigated in the Court of Instruction number 3. Both leaders They had to answer for an alleged crime of bribery and disclosure of secrets after the complaint filed by three former members of AFE (Jesús Barbadilla, Xavi Oliva and Queco Piña) who have now become their main opposition front and who pushed the candidacy of Gaizka Toquero in the last elections in which Aganzo won again by a landslide.

Both Aganzo and Rivas they availed themselves of their right not to testify in court and only answered questions from their lawyer. The president of AFE assured that he had nothing against Futbolistas ON, the other footballers’ union to which, As the ongoing investigation should clarify, he would have tried to spy by bribing a public official of the Tax Agency with 3,000 euros. The alleged illicit movement It was aimed at obtaining economic and fiscal, private and confidential databy Footballers ON. In the summary of the case, the participation in this possible bribery of the AFE delegate in Alicante, Antonio Cañadas, is detailed. Aganzo also claimed not to know how this type of information got to his office.

Diego Rivas, for his part, according to various sources consulted, answered some of the questions posed by Judge Marta Alba Tenza and clarified that he did know Tamara Ramos (manager of Futbolistas ON who recorded a controversial statement of hers in which she offered compromised data from the new union), but that what he said (data referring to model 347) was expressed that day as a simple “bluff” to see if the relationship (now broken) between Footballers ON and LaLiga would be clarified. He claimed to have this type of tax knowledge because he comes from a family of businessmen.

Jesús Barbadilla (Jesule) was also in the courts of Elche but did not testify. Juanjo Martínez, president of Futbolistas ON, was present as injured party and private accusation. AFE, for its part, preferred not to comment on the matter. The interrogations will continue on February 4 and 11. Part of the AFE Board that was in their respective positions when the events were reported (now it has been renewed after the elections) will pass through Examining Court number 3 as a witness.

From Futbolistas ON they are optimistic about this judicial process and expect more progress in February: “We trust the justice and the investigation that is being carried out and that the facts can be proven as this is happening. Next February, as witnesses, other members of the board of directors and even the financial director will also testify. “