The squads came out wearing jerseys in defense of the AFA and the crowd reacted with insults
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Before the match in the Torneo Apertura, the squads of San Lorenzo de Almagro and Instituto Atlético Central Córdoba took the field at Nuevo Gasómetro wearing a jersey that carried the slogan "Stop persecuting us. AFA is all the clubs", in support of the Argentine Football Association and its president, who is under investigation for corruption scandals, Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia.
The image sought to convey institutional unity at a delicate moment for the leadership of local football. However, the reaction in the stands was exactly the opposite. From different sections of the stadium came down chants and insults directed at Tapia, making clear the discontent of an important part of the members with the current leadership.
The gesture took place just days after the Liga Profesional de Fútbol announced the suspension of the ninth round of the championship for the first week of March. The measure coincides with the court summons of Tapia and treasurer Pablo Toviggino in the framework of a case initiated by the Revenue and Customs Control Agency for alleged evasion of multimillion-dollar contributions.
In that context, the clubs closed ranks in defense of the leadership. San Lorenzo released a statement in which it backed the suspension of the tournament and defended the single model of civil associations. Instituto expressed a similar position, aligning itself with the decision adopted by the AFA Executive Committee.
However, the institutional support did not manage to calm the social base. In the case of Ciclón, the anger had been building up for weeks. The scheduling that forced the team to play two matches in just 48 hours caused strong criticism among the fans, who questioned the organization of the calendar and the lack of foresight by the leadership.
Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia, presidente de la AFA.
The scene at Nuevo Gasómetro was the reflection of that tension: players posing with a message of support for the leadership and a stand that replied with whistles and reproaches. The distance between directors and members was exposed without filters.
The episode confirms that the debate over the leadership of Argentine football is far from being settled. Meanwhile, the leadership insists on closing ranks in the face of judicial investigations and defending the current model with its corruption scandals, while in the stands discontent is growing.
