The Argentine Football Association’s Disciplinary Tribunal has officially opened a formal expediente regarding Vélez Sarsfield’s protest against Boca Juniors over their recent Copa Argentina match, giving Boca five days to submit a defense.
Vélez filed a formal complaint following the knockout fixture, arguing that Boca violated tournament roster rules by including six foreign players on their official match sheet.
The Core of Vélez Sarsfield’s Protest
At the center of the dispute is the roster composition submitted for the Copa Argentina tie. Vélez maintains that tournament regulations cap the inclusion of foreign players on a matchday roster at five. In their presentation to the AFA—registered under expediente 99780—they claim Boca exceeded this limit.
The official match sheet and data from the AFA’s COMET registration system show that Boca included six foreign footballers: Ángel Romero, Carlos Palacios, Sebastián Villa, Álvaro Montero, Leandro Lozano, and Enner Valencia. Among them, Romero was named to the bench but did not enter the field of play. Vélez argues that the mere presence of six foreign players on the official planilla breaches the regulatory threshold.
Boca Juniors’ Stance and Regulatory Framework
Boca maintains that its actions complied fully with applicable regulations. Under Article 36 of the Disciplinary Code, the club received formal notification of the filing and a strict five-day window to present its legal arguments and defense to the tribunal.
The Disciplinary Tribunal emphasized that this initial notice does not imply any finding of guilt, nor does it alter the existing tournament bracket. Boca retains its place in the quarterfinals while the tribunal reviews the case file.
Legal observers point to a recent precedent within the AFA tribunal that could influence the interpretation of squad-sheet rules. In a recent women’s football fixture, Belgrano made six substitutions against Lanús. While Lanús protested on grounds of an irregular lineup, the tribunal rejected the request to forfeit the match, opting instead to uphold the result and issue a fine to the Córdoba club. Whether that precedent applies directly to a dispute over foreign player quotas on a match sheet remains a central question for the tribunal’s upcoming evaluation.
What Happens Next in the Copa Argentina
With the expediente officially open, Boca Juniors must submit its formal response within the designated five-day timeframe. Once both legal teams present their filings, the Disciplinary Tribunal will review the arguments, consult the match reports, and issue a definitive ruling on whether a regulatory violation occurred.
Until the tribunal delivers its verdict, the match result stands, and Boca prepares for its upcoming domestic fixtures while monitoring the administrative proceedings at the AFA.
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