Real Madrid-Javier Tebas dispute referred to Spain’s sports tribunal

The dispute between Real Madrid and LaLiga president Javier Tebas has been referred to Spain’s Sports Administrative Court after the country’s National Sports Council asked for an investigation into whether his controversial comments amounted to a serious breach of sports law.

The Consejo Superior de Deportes (CSD) announced on Thursday that it had formally submitted the request to the Tribunal Administrativo del Deporte (TAD). The case concerns remarks made by Tebas, who is also vice-president of the Spanish Football Federation, in which he compared Real Madrid’s media communication methods with the propaganda techniques associated with Joseph Goebbels, the propaganda minister of Nazi Germany.

The decision marks a new stage in the dispute and could lead to disciplinary action against the LaLiga president if the court determines that his comments breached the relevant regulations.

Social media post triggered investigation

The controversy began last Friday, when Tebas published a comment on the social media platform X criticising the communication strategy used by Real Madrid. In doing so, he referred to Goebbels, one of the most prominent figures in the propaganda system of the Nazi regime.

The comparison prompted widespread criticism and debate. The CSD then intervened on its own initiative, using the legal powers available to it, and asked the TAD to establish whether Tebas’s statement contained indications of a serious sporting offence.

According to the Catalan newspaper Sport, the council’s submission is based on Article 76, paragraph four, section b, of Spain’s Sports Law 10/1990. That provision classifies public and clear actions that affect sporting dignity or decorum as serious offences.

In its submission, the CSD referred to previous decisions by the TAD, as well as rulings from Spain’s Supreme Court. Those precedents associate sporting dignity and decorum with the need to preserve civilised conduct within the sporting environment.

The council argued that this principle requires mutual respect among people who hold influential positions in sport. The reference to those earlier rulings forms part of the legal basis for asking the tribunal to examine Tebas’s comments.

The CSD also stressed that the TAD is independent when exercising its powers. The referral therefore does not represent a prior finding of wrongdoing against Tebas.

Instead, it gives the tribunal the opportunity to determine whether the remarks justify disciplinary proceedings under Spanish law. The court will now assess whether the statement falls within the category of serious conduct covered by the legislation.