AFA rocked as two key judges quit amid Tapia case escalation | OneFootball

The judicial investigation for fraud, evasion, and money laundering that is closing in on the president of the AFA, Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia, and its treasurer, Pablo Toviggino, has caused an institutional collapse within the organization. Now, the resignations of two heavyweights from the federal judiciary who were part of the controlling bodies of Argentine football have been confirmed: Diego Barroetaveña and Juan Ignacio Pérez Curci. Both magistrates decided to step aside due to "the incompatibility generated by their dual role" amid the suspicions surrounding the sports leadership.

Barroetaveña, who will preside over the Federal Chamber of Cassation next year, left his position as head of the AFA's Ethics Tribunal. Meanwhile, Pérez Curci, the top representative of the Federal Chamber of Mendoza, abandoned his post in the National Dispute Resolution Chamber. These exits occurred shortly after the Civil Association for Equality and Justice (ACIJ) formally requested the Supreme Court to cease the functions of all national judges occupying seats in football's disciplinary tribunals.

The main reason that precipitated these resignations lies in the possibility that they may have to intervene as ad hoc judges of the Supreme Court in the criminal cases against AFA executives. Since the highest court currently operates with only three members (Horacio Rosatti, Carlos Rosenkrantz, and Ricardo Lorenzetti), any disagreement requires filling the vacancies with the presidents of the Federal Chambers of the country, positions precisely held by those who have now resigned.

This movement was not an isolated event but part of a hemorrhage that began ten days ago. The federal judge of San Martín, Néstor Barral, was the first to leave the Disciplinary Tribunal after refusing to sign a resolution against Juan Sebastián Verón amid internal political disputes. He was followed by Martín Peluso, a judge in the Criminal and Correctional Court of Buenos Aires, and Esteban Mahiques, a Foreign Ministry official, gradually dismantling the structure of 26 judges that the AFA once boasted to ensure its "maneuvers."

The scenario promises greater instability in the coming days, as judicial sources told Clarín that further chain resignations are expected. Tapia's strategy of surrounding himself with members of the Judiciary to provide prestige and protection to the AFA's tribunals began to unravel when the criminal cases against the leadership of Argentine football gained momentum in Comodoro Py.

A Power Network Under Scrutiny: Who Stays and Who Leaves

Despite the recent departures, the AFA's tribunals still maintain a list of members with strong ties in the Judiciary and politics. The Disciplinary Tribunal remains under the presidency of notary Fernando Mitjans, husband of former Justice Minister Marcela Losardo, supported by chamber judge Sergio Fernández. In the same body is Jorge Ballestero, the former federal judge who resigned in 2018, along with other officials.

On the side of the Ethics Tribunal, Barroetaveña's departure left a significant vacancy, although names like Ramiro González, federal prosecutor of Comodoro Py, and Mario Kohan, of the Buenos Aires Cassation, remain. The structure is completed with federal judges from various provinces, such as Ricardo San Juan from Tucumán and Pablo Morán from Formosa.

The situation exposed the fragility of this "double jersey" scheme. The pressure from organizations like the ACIJ highlighted the ethical conflict that arises when those who must investigate federal crimes are, at the same time, subordinates or peers of the investigated leaders in the private sphere of the association. With scrutiny on the management of funds in the AFA, the continued presence of these magistrates became politically untenable.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.