The crisis enters a new phase: sanctions threaten the La Liga president

The feud between Javier Tebas, president of the Spanish Liga, and Real Madrid has taken a fresh turn. Spain's Higher Sports Council has referred his controversial remarks to the Administrative Court of Sport, which will decide whether they amount to a serious breach of the Sports Law.

The Catalan newspaper "Sport" reports that the Higher Sports Council (CSD) lodged a formal request with the Administrative Court of Sport (TAD) on Thursday. The complaint concerns remarks by Tebas, who also serves as vice-president of the Spanish Football Federation, in which he compared Real Madrid's media communication methods to the propaganda machine run by Joseph Goebbels, propaganda minister of Nazi Germany.

A post that sparked the crisis

It all goes back to last Friday. Tebas posted a comment on his "X" account attacking the communication methods of the royal club, dragging Goebbels, one of the most prominent symbols of Nazi propaganda, into the row.

The comparison caused uproar. The Higher Sports Council then stepped in of its own accord, drawing on its legal powers, and asked the Administrative Court of Sport to rule on whether the Liga president's words point to a serious sporting violation.

What is the possible penalty?

According to "Sport", the Council bases its request on Article 76, paragraph four, clause "b" of the Spanish Sports Law No. 10/1990, which lists public and clear acts affecting sporting dignity or decorum among serious violations.

In its memorandum, the Council cited previous rulings of the Administrative Court of Sport, themselves grounded in Spanish Supreme Court judgments. Those rulings tie the concept of sporting dignity and decorum to the need to preserve civilised conduct within the sporting community, demanding mutual respect between those who hold influential positions in the game.

One point the Council was keen to stress: the Administrative Court of Sport acts independently. Referring the case is no prior conviction of Tebas, but a step towards examining whether his remarks warrant disciplinary action under the law.