Government takes Tebas to the TAD for likening RMTV to Nazi propaganda

The Government, through the Superior Sports Council (CSD), has filed a complaint against Javier Tebas, the president of LaLiga, before the Administrative Sports Tribunal (TAD) after the official compared the communication of Real Madrid TV with the propaganda mechanisms of Goebbels. The photo accompanying the news is credited MATIAS MARTIN CAMPAYA / EFE and the audio was generated by AI; this Government move could bring the president of LaLiga to the brink of disqualification.

CSD complaint to TAD

The CSD acts ex officio and, on Thursday, submitted a reasoned request to the TAD asking that it assess whether the statements of Tebas breach article 76.4.b of Law 10/1990 of Sport, which punishes acts that attack the dignity or sporting decorum. In its statement, the body emphasizes that “it is essential to preserve the values that make sport a space of respect, coexistence and fair play”.

The document of the CSD also recalls the doctrine of the TAD itself, based on the jurisprudence of the Supreme Court, which links dignity and decorum with a framework of civilized coexistence in football. It notes that the comparison of Tebas with Nazi propaganda constitutes a “propaganda mechanism that was exploited by Goebbels, Minister of Propaganda of Nazi Germany”.

Furthermore, the CSD indicates that the complaint arises after the post of Tebas on the social network X on 16 October, where he used the previously cited analogy. The sports authority insists that the assessment of the TAD will be independent and that any sanction must respect the established procedure.

Tebas response on X

Javier Tebas replied on X accusing the CSD of maintaining “a silence that is especially striking” and of not having listened to the Secretary of State for Sport nor to the senior officials of the body. “We expected it, any excuse would have served,” he wrote, implying that the complaint aims to disqualify him.

In his reply, Tebas asked why the CSD never intervened regarding the accusations of “corruption” that Real Madrid and its television launch against LaLiga and refereeing, questioning whether presenting the competition as a fraud affects the dignity and sporting decorum. He added that “defending the competition also requires responding to those who constantly discredit it”.

The president of LaLiga also defended the content of his criticisms, stating that the TAD must assess “what I really wrote, with its full content and context”, and that, if necessary, the case could go to the courts.

Possible sanctions and legal context

The TAD, upon receiving the request of the CSD, could impose a disqualification on Tebas from holding positions in the sports entity for a period ranging from one month to two years, according to current regulations. This measure falls within the authority of the tribunal to sanction serious infringements in the sport sector.

In an interview granted to , Tebas described any attempt to remove him from his position as “unprecedented”, stating that “being removed from my position is impossible”. The official maintained that his intention was not to attack sport, but to point out what he considers an exaggerated form of communication.

The conflict between the Government and LaLiga highlights the existing tension between sports institutions and public authorities, and could set a precedent regarding the limits of freedom of expression within Spanish football.