Lawmaker Lilita Carrió celebrated the Arca audit of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and stated that its leaders, Chiqui Tapia and Pablo Toviggino, will end up in prison. This comes amid judicial investigations and AFA's domicile change to Buenos Aires province to evade national oversight. Construction has begun on a Pilar plot, as a judge replaces another in the case involving a mansion.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) faces intense scrutiny over financial and administrative irregularities. Lilita Carrió, a historical leader of the Coalición Cívica, referred to the judicial cases involving Claudio 'Chiqui' Tapia, AFA president, and Pablo Toviggino, his vice president, stating: “They will end up in prison.” Carrió celebrated that Arca, the auditing body, is reviewing the entity's accounts, amid opaque multimillion-dollar contracts surrounding the Argentine National Team.
Recently, with Governor Axel Kicillof's approval, the AFA set its domicile in Buenos Aires province, a move that allowed it to evade oversight from the national Inspección General de Justicia (IGJ). This political alliance between Kicillof and Tapia extends beyond disputes with the central government and ties to works started at the Estadio Único in La Plata. A TN report showed that at the Pilar plot, designated as the new headquarters, there is no administrative activity but ongoing constructions.
In the judicial realm, Judge Ángela Ledesma will replace Gustavo Mahiques in the case determining who investigates the mansion in Pilar linked to the AFA. The decision was unanimous by Casación Penal members, avoiding a draw. Media sources highlight concerns over payments through intermediaries and offshore structures, with sponsors like Adidas and Coca-Cola generating over US$100 million annually for the AFA, though lacking strict compliance controls.
Fans express frustration with the leadership's power abuses, calling to reclaim football from these practices.
