Bullrich promises AFA investigation after Estudiantes president gets six-month ban

The AFA scandal over the end-of-the-year champion continues to escalate. On Thursday, the Argentine Football Association announced a six-month ban for Estudiantes de La Plata President Juan Sebastián Verón. The club leader had been in the spotlight after his players had refused to salute controversial champions Rosario Central before the match the two played. The players who were part of the protest also got a two-match ban. The news of Verón’s sanction prompted former Security Minister Patricia Bullrich to say that she will investigate the football association’s “transparency” from her new position as senator.  Bullrich claimed “there are plenty of irregularities” within Argentine football’s governing body but said there are still no plans for the government to intervene in the AFA. “The country is marching towards order, not discretionality,” Bullrich said in an interview with Radio Mitre. “AFA is going backwards on that road. It’s filled with Tapia’s entourage, all of whom became millionaires.” The former security minister also backed the Estudiantes players, who “got a ban like they had killed someone.” She also insisted that AFA is “holding clubs hostage.” The ban on Estudiantes players The AFA Disciplinary Tribunal issued the ban on Wednesday night, with a three-part sanction. According to the statement, Verón, the players, and the team captain were found guilty of “inciting the local crowd to violence.”  Verón will be suspended “for all and any football-related activities” for six months, effective immediately. This means he’ll be unable to represent the club before AFA bodies or sign documents or petitions as the club’s highest authority. He’ll also be banned from areas reserved for club representatives during matchdays. The players involved in the protest will serve their two-match ban in next year’s tournament. That means they’ll still be able to feature in their 2025 Torneo Clausura quarterfinals matchup against Central Córdoba (Santiago del Estero) on Friday, as well as the potential semifinals and finals should they qualify. Additionally, captain Santiago Núñez will be unable to serve as such for three months, and the club will have to pay an AR$120 million fee (around US$81,000 at the official rate). You may also be interested in: AFA’s Tapia defiant amid accusations of favoritism and corruption in football ‘We have to keep our guard up’ In an interview on Friday, Verón gave his version of the events, insisting there was no vote to award Rosario Central the title, contradicting the claim made by AFA President Claudio Tapia and Central authorities. “What they put forward, and which wasn’t part of the order of the day, was an acknowledgement, which is very different from gifting a team a title,” he said in an interview with Radio Con Vos. He added that he felt everything was “staged” by AFA so nobody would raise any objections in having the Central players pose with the trophy Verón said he’s not concerned about AFA treasurer Pablo Toviggino’s comments for him but questioned the threatening words.  Last Friday, Toviggino tweeted directly at Verón without naming him, referencing instead the hat the Estudiantes president wears. “What a year we and you have coming up. Watch out, beret guy,” Toviggino posted on X. “Better fulfill the rules established by the governing body, the AFA.” Verón warned that the threat meant that his club had to keep its “guard up.” “That’s how they work, and things don’t usually end well. It could end up with us getting relegated and suffering poor refereeing. It’s something that has happened, and we’re used to it.” Estudiantes released a statement following the sanction expressing its “full support” for Juan Sebastián Verón, Santiago Nuñez, and the team. The release added that the club is “analyzing the sanction” in order to defend the club’s interests.