After the controversial trophy awarded to Rosario Central, Boca's former vice president criticized the institutional management and warned that football has become 'the minor leagues of politics'
The controversy caused by the Argentine Football Association (AFA) after awardingRosario Central a trophy that was not included in any current regulationshas reignited the debate about the functioning of Argentine football. In a context marked by complaints against refereeing and criticism of the leadership, Mario Pergolini reappeared on the scene with harsh criticism and an alarming diagnosis regarding the growing political influence in the sport.
The former Boca vice president shared his perspective on the program "En Comunidad de Negocios" (LN+), hosted by José del Rio. There, he described the episode of the recognition given to the Canalla as "confusing" and "strange," asserting that it was a decision lacking transparency. According to him, the situation "is not clear, it is nothing," referring to the award granted under the leadership of the mobster Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia.
Pergolini expanded his analysis to the general state of local football and stated that the activity is experiencing increasingly pronounced institutional deterioration. He stated that today the sport operates like "the lower divisions of Argentine politics," and reinforced this idea by questioning the silence of the leadership in the most important clubs: "It is also frightening that Boca or River say nothing. Let's fix this and we'll have a good school for when they move up to the other politics."
Pergolini criticó a Tapia y a Toviggino
The businessman also directed his criticism at the AFA treasurer, the disgraceful Pablo Toviggino, known for responding on social media to critics and opponents: "He tweets openly, bullies publicly, implying that he has power." According to Pergolini, this behavior is generating "a rift," with figures such as Sebastián Verón, president of Estudiantes de La Plata, among those who express greater discomfort.
His perspective on Boca's present
In the final part of the interview, the former executive addressed Boca's current situation. Although he acknowledged the team's good footballing present after a series of victories, he warned that management can't be sustained solely by results: "Today everything depends on whether the ball goes in or not. Now that it is going in, even I am happy. But we must not forget that the team was not winning before. There are many things to do that this leadership is not doing."
