Judge Diego Amarante rejected AFA president Claudio 'Chiqui' Tapia's request to annul his interrogation related to an alleged misappropriation of taxes worth 19.3 billion pesos.
On Tuesday, Judge Diego Amarante dismissed the request from Claudio 'Chiqui' Tapia, the president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), to annul his scheduled interrogation. Tapia is accused of misappropriating 19.3 billion pesos in taxes, and the judge deemed the defense's plea to be 'improper.' The ruling confirms that Tapia must appear in court this Thursday at noon for questioning regarding these serious allegations against him.
In addition to Tapia, the judge also rejected similar nullity requests from other AFA officials, including General Secretary Cristian Malaspina and General Director Gustavo Lorenzo. Defense attorneys argued that the interrogations should be annulled pending the resolution of a petition for the case to be closed, claiming that no crime had been committed in this instance. However, the court found these arguments insufficient to warrant cancelling the proceedings.
This case marks a significant moment in Argentine football governance, amid ongoing concerns about corruption within sports institutions. The outcome of Tapia's interrogation could have broader implications for the AFA and its leadership, potentially impacting its reputation and operations in light of the allegations being investigated.
