Alfredo Cornejo slams AFA: Godoy Cruz safe on points average | OneFootball

The governor of Mendoza, Alfredo Cornejo, launched a harsh criticism against the leadership of Argentine football, aiming directly at the Argentine Football Association (AFA), the disorganization of the championships, and the constant changes in the relegation systems.

He also spoke from the Federal Investment Council (CFI) about the case of Godoy Cruz, recently relegated, stating that the Mendoza club would have stayed in the division “if they hadn’t changed the rules.”

Cornejo clarified from the outset that he speaks “as a passionate football fan, not as a professional or manager,” but was still forceful: “Argentine football is going through a terrible time. It’s being covered up by the success of the National Team, which is a badge we love, but it can’t hide the poor organization of the tournament.”

The governor questioned the structure of the Argentine league, which currently has 30 teams and frequently changes its relegation system. “It’s the only league that has 30 teams and habitually changes the rules. Godoy Cruz, if it had been by average, would not have been relegated,” he asserted, recalling that the AFA replaced the average points system with the annual table.

He also pointed out that these changes were made “to benefit a particular club,” without naming names but indicating that the modification “objectively altered the rules of the game.”

Cornejo also spoke of a widespread climate of distrust regarding refereeing: “There is suspicion about the refereeing, everyone has it.”

In that sense, he noted that there are controversial decisions, excessive delays in VAR reviews, and line drawings that “do not inspire confidence”: “It’s clear how the VAR lines are drawn. They take a long time, 4 or 5 minutes to determine plays.”

Another strong point in his statement was his reference to the role of the sports press. Cornejo emphasized that there is a systematic attempt to silence criticism of the leadership of Argentine football: “Every criticism by a sports journalist about the AFA is later censored by many. I hope there continues to be independent journalism, as there is in politics.”

The governor explained that he is not accusing anyone of a direct plot against Godoy Cruz, but insisted that the changes promoted by the AFA influenced their relegation: “I can’t say they were relegated because of a conspiracy, but it’s a fact that the rules were changed. Godoy Cruz would not have been relegated under the previous system.”

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