The possibility of Mariano Rajoy running for the elections of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has turned the country's king sport upside down. The appearance of the former president of the Government in the list of candidates next to that of Iker Casillas, both without confirming it officially, occurs after more than a year and a half of the mandate of a Luis Rubiales who has been winning enemies in different institutions.
Rajoy's name, despite widespread surprise, responds to specific characteristics. His relations with the political class and his experience as Minister of Sport between 1999 and 2000 place him as a candidate of some value. Also his well-known football hobby, which has not been mocked on many occasions. However, the leaked information puts the property registrar now in brine as a candidate, since it depends on the decision made by Iker Casillas.
The goalkeeper, in the technical staff of Porto after suffering a heart attack, is the first and in theory, the most powerful alternative to Rubiales. Meet all the ins and outs of sport, it is highly popular and, almost above all, it presents a moderate profile that, in some way, it shares with Mariano Rajoy. This dialogic tone makes them candidates that could break the negative dynamics of the institution with LaLiga or AFE (the majority union of Spanish football) and is opposed to the belligerent of the current president of the RFEF, which has been adding clashes and judicial problems in the last year.
“I prefer anyone to Rubiales.” The phrase pronounced by Javier Tebas, recently re-elected president of LaLiga (advanced the elections to strengthen his leadership), is not trivial. The leader of the Spanish football team has become since the rise of Rubiales in his arch nemesis. Faced with a multitude of controversies, with trials in between, Tebas has repeatedly stated that his counterpart “is not qualified to lead the RFEF” and has even asked the Higher Sports Council (CSD) for its disqualification.
The latter took place after the hearing in the courts of both due to the competition of the schedules. In a battle that had the First and Second Division in suspense before the beginning of 19/20, it was finally Rubiales' position that won the ban on being able to play matches on Mondays. However, Thebes claimed and will be here a few months when the judge finally decides. A resolution that is expected sooner rather than later, as well as to take LaLiga meetings out of Spain, an idea promoted by the employers' side.
In order to export a meeting per campaign (initially to Miami), Thebes has met Rubiales' strong opposition twice. For LaLiga it is vital in terms of income while for the RFEF it alters the competition, but it will be in February when the courts decide in the other great battle that the leader of the Federation has with his main opponent.
But Thebes is not the only great dissatisfied weight. Also present at the moment in which the leader of the employer pronounced the demolishing phrase against Rubiales, the president of Mediapro Jaume Roures has been involved in several lawsuits with the RFEF. The main one, the non-adjudication of the rights of the Copa del Rey from this edition and the end of last year, despite the fact that the audiovisual company reflected that it offered an economic amount greater than that of its competitors. In addition to this, the application of the VAR and the broadcasts of women's football, the latter issue of controversy in the signing of the collective agreement that has not yet been made official, have been the other two important fronts that have led Roures to blame Rubiales of “believe the king of the world in a dynamic of annoying by annoying”.
Even AFE, where Rubiales came from, could be seen touched by the hypothetical shadow of the federation president. David Aganzo, his successor in the presidency, had to face an internal revolt last summer with accusations crossed into a power struggle between a sector related to Rubiales and another that denounced the interference of the president in which his union was. The vice president of AFE and one of the instigators of a motion of censure that did not prosper, Jesus Barbadillo, came to say in an interview with Ace that “we fingered Aganzo.”
However, Rubiales conflicts have also happened within the borders of the RFEF itself. It has been in recent days when they have taken speed, with the resignation of three members of its board. As reported The countryAna Muñoz, Vice President of Integrity, resigned from her post after the transfer of the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia (something that was rejected by a large part of television operators and even the Government). In addition, two of the members of the Ethics Committee said goodbye to their posts after trying to open a file to Jacinto Alonso, president of the Rioja federation, for a possible crime of corruption.
Another of the names on which a similar shadow is planned is Antonio Suárez Santana, first vice president of the RFEF and president of the Canary Federation. According The world, is accused by fraud within a piece of the same 'Operation Soule' that took Angel Maria Villar ahead. The Canary replaced Andreu Subies, who had to resign from his post after being arrested and accused of diverting funds under that 'Operation Soule'. Luis Rubiales did not accept his resignation in November 2018, but he had to admit it months later.
The election date will be key: Rubiales asked for its advance to March, but it depends on the CSD … and the candidates could gain time to organize
In future elections, dates matter. Rubiales asked the Higher Sports Council to advance the elections before March 31, something that goes against the 2015 Ministerial Order which states that, in the year of participation in the Olympic Games, the elections must be held for at least two months after these. Pending the response of the CSD, and with a negative recommendation by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAD), the situation is clear: if the advance does not occur, potential Rubiales rivals will have time to organize a strong candidacy . In fact, Iker Casillas will know in March if he is still fit to play football: a negative result could give the final push to the electoral race.
In parallel, the figure of the president would be subject to greater wear. In February, Justice will address the conflict over the party in Miami and during 2020 the CSD will open a specific procedure to determine the powers of RFEF and LaLiga on the issue of schedules.
The RFEF increases its budget for 2020 by 41%, to 317 million