BUENOS AIRES – While attention remains focused on Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia’s recent legal questioning regarding alleged improper retention of funds, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) is simultaneously navigating a complex legal battle to relocate its headquarters to Pilar, Buenos Aires province. The AFA filed an appeal last week with the National Chamber of Civil Appeals seeking to overturn a resolution by the Inspector General of Justice (IGJ) that has stalled the move.
At the heart of the dispute is Resolution 140, signed February 18th by former Inspector General Daniel Vítolo. The resolution rejected the AFA’s request to transfer its legal domicile from the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires to Mercedes 1366 in Pilar, and to remove the existing registration with the national public registry. The initial push for relocation began on October 17, 2024, when the AFA’s board approved the move during an ordinary assembly. Less than a month later, on November 15th, authorities in Buenos Aires province validated the transfer, registering the institution under registration number 50275 via Resolution 9000.
The AFA’s appeal, filed by lawyer Federico Helfer of the firm representing the association, demands the complete and irreconcilable nullification of the IGJ’s resolution. It further accuses the IGJ of overstepping its authority, arguing that the agency “usurps powers that exclusively and solely correspond to the Provincial Directorate of Legal Persons of the Province of Buenos Aires, thus invading the jurisdictional sphere of another public body.”
The 100-page document, obtained by Infobae, alleges multiple procedural flaws in the IGJ’s decision-making process. The AFA contends that inspectors verified the fresh headquarters location without properly notifying the association, preventing its legal team from reviewing official reports in a timely manner.
Access to the case file too prompted complaints from the AFA. The appeal states that obtaining the full documentation required waiting over a week and paying 36,000 pesos for copies – for information that had already been leaked to the media.
The AFA’s filing also challenges what it describes as a “media raid” orchestrated by Vítolo, citing over 20 interviews where the former inspector allegedly foreshadowed the rejection of the relocation weeks before a final decision. The AFA claims Vítolo publicly characterized the move as “fictitious” and pre-announced the outcome, stating, “Today, for the Inspector General of Justice, the only jurisdiction is the Federal Capital and its registered office is on Viamonte Street. There is no doubt.”
The appeal further alleges procedural irregularities, including physical case files marked “do not paginate” and accounting requests signed by temporary employees without official designation. It also points to what it deems a contradictory argument from the IGJ – the alleged existence of outstanding financial statements between 2017 and 2024 – despite the IGJ issuing a certificate on November 7, 2024, confirming the AFA was current with its financial reporting.
The province of Buenos Aires supports the AFA’s position. The filing cites a resolution issued February 25th by the Provincial Directorate of Legal Persons, which revoked all police powers of the IGJ over the association from the moment of the new registration. The provincial agency deemed it unacceptable for the IGJ to attempt a double legality check on the same corporate act.
Finally, the AFA has requested that the case be assigned to Chamber D of the Civil Court, arguing that its intervention is necessary due to a connection with a previous dispute related to the same assembly. In that prior case, the judges ruled in favor of the AFA and annulled a measure taken by the regulatory body. The appeal demands that the appeal be admitted with suspensive effect and that the definitive registration of the transfer to the jurisdiction of Buenos Aires province be ordered. As a final warning, the association stated in the filing that it will appeal to the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation if the ruling is unfavorable.
The AFA’s pursuit of a new headquarters comes at a sensitive time, coinciding with ongoing scrutiny of its financial practices. The outcome of this legal challenge will undoubtedly have significant implications for the future operations and governance of Argentine football. The next step will be the Chamber’s decision on the AFA’s appeal, a ruling keenly awaited by stakeholders across the sport.
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