The Sports Administrative Court (TAD) believes that Pedro Rocha, until a week ago president of the managing committee of the Football Federation after the resignation of Rubiales, made decisions for which he was not competent since, according to article 31.8 of the statutes of the Federation, its mission was simply to call elections to elect a president to finish the term of the resigned Rubiales. For this reason, he proposes a sanction for a “very serious” offense that will have to be finalized in the coming weeks.
Rocha has been in office for seven months, he has called the assembly, he has dismissed managers and he has received a salary of 600,000 euros. He also tried to call two elections and now the TAD considers that he has committed a “very serious offense”, after he received a complaint from Miguel Galán, president of the National Training Center for Soccer Coaches of Spain (Cenafe), denouncing the situation. . Galán is also the complainant in the corruption case that affects Rubiales and several people from the Federation and that is being investigated in the Majadahonda courts.
In fact, the TAD's decision comes three days after the investigating judge in that case has charged Rocha himself, who came this Friday morning to testify as a witness. After spending more than half an hour answering the prosecutor evasively, he stopped the interrogation and was informed that he was going to be investigated, for which he must testify again, now with a lawyer.
Rocha, who last midnight on Thursday turned out to be the only candidate with the necessary endorsements to run for president of the RFEF until September – when a new assembly must be elected that will elect a new president – could be disqualified when he takes office, since The Sports Law gives this option to the Higher Sports Council (CSD) in cases of “very serious misconduct”, as is the case of the resolution issued by the TAD. From the CSD they explain to elDiario.es that “the legal services will analyze the content of the resolution, of 39 pages, to define the next steps.
The CSD declared on Friday to questions from elDiario.es that the judicial accusation “aggravates the crisis and the president of the CSD, on his own initiative, has contacted FIFA immediately,” which suggests that his suitability to direct the destiny of Spanish football is in question and that the government body would be inclined for FIFA to take control. The very serious offense further exacerbates the CSD's concern, which could be inclined to immediately suspend Rocha until the TAD makes a final decision.
Now several scenarios are opening up, because in order to disqualify or suspend a president, he has had to take office, something that has not happened yet, since the Federation is now governed by a temporary manager headed by Rafael del Amo after Rocha resigned. to be a candidate.
It could be that the Rubiales dolphin wanted to continue with his plan to be president, as can be deduced from the statement he sent after his accusation on Friday, in which he defended his innocence and appealed to the support of 75% of the Assembly to be a candidate. president, but the CSD can now disqualify him along with the entire managing committee. The RFEF would be left without a clear direction, and with the possibility that FIFA would intervene and take control until elections were held, or other elections would be held.
If Rocha were willing to agree to a departure after his accusation and the “very serious” misconduct, he would take office – it would not be before April 26 since his candidacy has been challenged by Galán – and he would resign immediately, convening a new commission manager who would direct the course of the RFEF until there was a president.
In addition to this electoral appointment, the Federation has yet to renew the general assembly (currently it is the one for applauding Rubiales), which in turn must elect a new president, since the current call is for a president who simply ends the command of Rubiales.
The Federation has not made any statements at this time regarding the TAD sanction, although on Friday afternoon they downplayed the judicial accusation saying that they were not going to take any action and that it was “a change in the procedural situation of a candidate.” ”.
