The Argentine Association of Journalistic Entities (ADEPA) raised alarms over what it described as an escalation of intimidating actions led by AFA president Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia, treasurer Pablo Toviggino, and lawyers linked to the leadership. Legal notices, legal threats, multimillion-dollar lawsuits, and coordinated campaigns on social media are part of the repertoire that, according to the organization, aim to discourage journalistic investigations and force self-censorship.
In a statement released this Thursday, ADEPA emphasized that in recent weeks, pressure against journalists who reported on matters of public interest related to the management of Argentine soccer has multiplied. The organization warned that these practices resemble so-called SLAPPs, abusive lawsuits designed to silence critical voices through judicial and economic exhaustion.
The communicators mentioned include Alejandro Alfie, Esteban Trebucq, Jonatan Viale, María O’Donnell, and Mario Pergolini, among others. All of them, according to ADEPA, have been subjected to threats, extrajudicial claims, or digital harassment campaigns for addressing topics related to the AFA leadership.
The organization stated that these maneuvers not only seek to intimidate those who investigate, but also to influence the rest of the journalistic ecosystem, sending a deterrent message to anyone intending to delve into irregularities, institutional management, or financial situations involving soccer leaders.
