National Deputy for La Libertad Avanza (LLA) Juliana Santillán was accused of abuse of authority and breach of her duties as a public official on Tuesday. The complaint was filed after a sound clip went viral on Monday in which she could be heard asking a board member of an Argentine football club to make a legal presentation in order to become a private sports corporation and receive foreign investment.

The audio clip, which was leaked by sports outlet Doble Amarilla, was sent to a member of the board of directors of Club Social y Deportivo Bancruz, a football club located in Rio Gallegos, Santa Cruz province that plays in the Southern Santa Cruz Football League.

Santillán can be heard telling this person to present a “consultation note” to the Judicial Inspection Board (IGJ, for its Spanish initials), the official government body that determines civil associations in Argentina. She added that the end goal was to have some institution that was either directly or indirectly affiliated to AFA to make a formal consultation on how to  become a private sports corporation (SAD, for its Spanish initials) so it could become a witness case.

The deputy’s request is seemingly in line with President Milei’s aim to legalize SADs in Argentine sports. The AFA doesn’t allow its member clubs to be private corporations as its statutes say they can only be non-profit civil associations. Milei’s initiative has sparked controversy and ignited a feud with Argentina’s football governing body, that seems to be far from over. 

In the audio clip, Santillán confirmed to the club members that the legal procedure she was asking them to do had  already been greenlit by the IGJ, meaning they would not run into administrative issues. She added that things were already moving along and that there were sponsors linked to English football ready to invest in Argentine football. She also said that this was not her first attempt at getting the matter rolling, as she had previously contacted board members of Arsenal Fútbol Club, who refused the offer fearing disaffiliation from the AFA.

Santillán attempted to put the club directors at ease, telling them that they could not be sanctioned by the Argentine Football Association. According to the LLA deputy, AFA can’t disaffiliate a club that presents such a request, as it’s a legal procedure unrelated to its jurisdiction. She added that the presentation was meaningful as it would allow the government to set a precedent.

On Tuesday, Coalición Cívica Deputy Facundo Del Gaiso filed the complaint for abuse of authority against Santillán, which will be handled by the Federal Criminal and Correctional Court 6. Article 248 of the Argentine Criminal Code describes the charge of “abuse of authority” as an instance in which “a public official issues resolutions or orders contrary to the national or provincial constitutions or laws.” It’s punishable by six months to four years of imprisonment, and barring from public service for double that time. 

The grounds for the complaint stem from a legal presentation the AFA made against Milei’s mega-decree issued in December 2023. Argentine football’s governing body disputed two articles in the decree that would’ve allowed clubs to switch to the SAD management model. This request was sustained by the Mercedes Federal Court, which kept the legal provision barring SADs in Argentina. Until the case is resolved, current legislation stands and Santillán’s request goes against this disposition.

Contacted for comment by the Herald, Deputy Santillán said that she committed no crime, as she was “providing information requested by the person who was interested and did so according to the law.” She added that the leaked audio was nothing but “a political operation, an absurdity.”

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