The document is forwarded by WhatsApp in the days prior to the AFA Assembly on Thursday, June 22, which became news for the fifth point to be discussed on the agenda: the “statutory amendments” to articles 90 and 91 of the statute, a euphemism to refer to the possible elimination of a relegation in the Professional Soccer League.
The PDF that circulates among leaders, and to which PROFILE exclusively accessed, has a title –“Support and development of 1st Division competencies”–, four pages, eight supposed benefits of the tournament format with 28 teams (Competitions and formats; Predictability ; Economic axis 1: partners; Economic axis 2: transfer of players; TV and variables that affect or not the model; Analysis and other variables to consider; Example 1: FIFA and Conmebol; Example 2: other world leagues) and a presentation : “This report aims to show a detailed analysis of variables, results, experiences and success stories, in order to confirm the ‘sustainability and development’ of the current competitions, formats, calendars and number of clubs, as the ideal ones for 1st division football.
It tries to be the theoretical tool that a group of leaders found to give volume to a thread in which they feel comfortable, because for years it was the norm of the AFA. It has already reached the president of the AFA, Claudio Tapia, and the CEO of the League, Francisco Duarte. “We defend to the death that a relegation be taken,” tells him the president of a club compromised in the table of averages and in the general table, a red zone in which weight teams such as Banfield, Vélez and Huracán are located.
Despite the fact that in recent days on social networks it was spread that Tapia did not agree when he found out about this idea during his tour of Asia with the National Team, from the Viamonte 1366 building they assure this newspaper that this is not the case: ” Imagine if he doesn’t want to”, they release on the third floor, referring to the situation of Barracas Central, Chiqui’s club, six points behind the last, Arsenal.
Although it is not confirmed, the intention is to eliminate the second relegation by average and that the two clubs that go down to the First B Nacional are the worst in that table and the one of the current season.
The curious thing –or not so much– is that this tournament format had been imposed in October of last year, when it was decided by a majority that there would be three relegations this season and that the averages would be eliminated from 2025. But as always happens in Argentine soccer, proposals and changes are driven by the current interests of each leader or each club, it does not matter if the tournament is already underway. Groucho Marx’s soccer doctrine: “These are my principles. If you don’t like them, I have others.” Here there are no principles, but sports results that make defend what was previously questioned, or vice versa.