La Liga chief Tebas's Nazi propaganda comparison sent to Spain sports tribunal
Spain's National Sports Council has asked the country's sports tribunal to decide whether La Liga president Javier Tebas committed an offence with his post comparing Real Madrid's communication to Nazi propaganda.
At a glance
- Spain's National Sports Council referred Tebas's October 16 post to the Administrative Court for Sport on Thursday.
- Tebas compared Real Madrid's communication methods to Nazi propaganda mechanisms used by Joseph Goebbels.
- Real Madrid called for Tebas to resign; he says he distinguished propaganda techniques from Nazi ideology.
Spain's National Sports Council (CSD) has asked the country's sports tribunal to assess whether La Liga president Javier Tebas committed an offence when he compared Real Madrid's communication methods with Nazi propaganda. The CSD said in a statement on Thursday that it had referred the matter to the Administrative Court for Sport (TAD).
The referral follows a post Tebas made on X on October 16, in which the 64-year-old league chief said Real Madrid's in-house television channel often suggested that referees attempt to prevent the club from winning. He said those tactics "recall propaganda mechanisms exploited by Goebbels", a reference to Joseph Goebbels, Nazi Germany's propaganda minister.
Tribunal to weigh sports law
The TAD must determine whether Tebas's comments could constitute a serious offence under Spain's 1990 Sports Law, which includes "notorious and public acts that harm sporting dignity or decorum". The CSD said: "It is essential to preserve the values that make sport a space of respect, coexistence, and fair play."
Madrid sought resignation, Tebas defends remark
Spanish giants Real Madrid called for Tebas to resign after he criticised their efforts to discredit refereeing in Spain. Tebas later attempted to clarify that he was drawing a comparison with "those propaganda techniques" and not with the ideology of the Nazis. On Thursday he reiterated in another X post that his comment had "distinguished between propaganda techniques and ideology".
Tebas also questioned why Madrid, in "accusing the refereeing system of corruption", did "not affect sporting dignity and decorum". "Does it not harm clubs, referees, and millions of fans?" he wrote. "Or do those values only deserve a public defence when someone responds to such attacks?"
Referee complaints
Real Madrid criticise referees most weeks on their television channel, and last year accused officiating in Spain of being "rigged" and "totally discredited". La Liga did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Source: Al Jazeera.
Questions and answers
- Why is La Liga president Javier Tebas facing a sports tribunal in Spain?
- Spain's National Sports Council referred his October 16 post on X, which compared Real Madrid's communication to Nazi propaganda, to the Administrative Court for Sport to assess whether he committed an offence.
- What did Javier Tebas say about Real Madrid and Goebbels?
- He said Real Madrid's in-house TV channel often suggested referees try to stop the club winning, and that these tactics recalled propaganda mechanisms exploited by Joseph Goebbels. He later said he was comparing techniques, not Nazi ideology.
- What law is Tebas accused of breaching?
- The tribunal must determine whether his comments could be a serious offence under Spain's 1990 Sports Law, which covers notorious and public acts that harm sporting dignity or decorum.
