Tapia eyes Anacleto: moves with Sturzenegger, Gillett boost SAD ties | OneFootball

The latest meeting of the Executive Committee of the Professional Football League (LPF) not only served to reschedule the calendar due to the Argentine football strike, but also became the stage for the emergence of a figure who promises to stir institutional waters: Carlos Anacleto. The president of Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata has positioned himself, alongside Juan Sebastián Verón, as one of the main proponents for the introduction of Sports Corporations (SAD) in the country, although his strategy has generated more rejection than support in the corridors of Viamonte Street.

The "phantom project" and the clash with Claudio Tapia

During the league conclave, Anacleto attempted to introduce what he described as an "innovative" and "mixed" model, inspired by the German club system. However, according to Doble Amarilla, the leader from La Plata did not present any written proposal nor made a concrete motion before the plenary. His intervention, lasting only a few seconds, was interpreted by his peers as an attempt to "stake a media position" rather than an institutional one.

The response from Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia, president of the AFA, was curt and regulatory: any reform proposal must be worked on, written, and formally presented for analysis in the relevant committees before being debated. The discontent among the leadership deepened hours later when the supposed "innovative" scheme was leaked to the press. In several AFA offices, this leak is seen as an irresponsible and political move, suggesting that Anacleto is acting under the mandate of the National Government to force a discussion that the AFA statute currently prohibits.

The Foster Gillett precedent and the "seduction operation"

Anacleto's relationship with private capital is neither new nor coincidental. He was responsible for bringing Federico Sturzenegger to the Bosque box and for opening the doors of Estancia Chica to the controversial businessman Foster Gillett. Although these dealings were initially kept under wraps—especially after Gillett's failed attempt at Estudiantes—Anacleto recently confirmed them: "It's true that Foster came. And others too. We have to send a signal for the investor to say: ‘This club wants to change’."

For the tripero president, the club must conduct a "scan" of its own infrastructure and political security to become attractive to external capital. This vision has led him to propose a structural reform in Gimnasia's statutes, specifically targeting the removal of article 2 bis, the clause that currently prevents the management, total or partial, of professional and amateur football in the institution.

The "mirror" of the classic rival and the institutional contradiction

One of the points causing the most stir in the Gimnasia world is Anacleto's open admiration for the management model of Estudiantes de La Plata. In statements that are almost unprecedented for a leader of his rank, he stated: "I have many friends in Estudiantes… we need to take positive things. Let's be clear: they are doing things better than us."

This stance places Gimnasia, one of the most traditional institutions and defenders of the club's social role, at a historical crossroads. Its president publicly pushes an agenda of openness to management and an approach to private models, while within the decision-making bodies of Argentine football, he fails (or does not attempt) to support his proposals with the technical formality required for such a significant change.

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