Tebas has responded angrily after Spain’s National Sports Council (CSD) referred his comments about Real Madrid to the Administrative Sports Tribunal (TAD) for assessment, questioning why the authorities have not acted similarly over accusations directed at the league and referees.
The CSD announced on Thursday that it had submitted a reasoned request asking the tribunal to assess whether Tebas’s remarks could constitute a serious breach of Spain’s sports law. The case concerns a post he published on 16 October comparing Real Madrid’s communication methods with propaganda techniques used by Joseph Goebbels, Nazi Germany’s propaganda minister.
Tebas has maintained that he was referring to propaganda techniques rather than Nazi ideology. In his response, he argued that the full context of his comments should be considered and criticised what he sees as a lack of scrutiny of Real Madrid’s repeated public attacks on LaLiga and the Spanish refereeing system.
“We expected it: any excuse would have been enough,” Tebas wrote. “Defending the competition also requires responding to those who constantly discredit it.”
He also questioned why senior figures at the CSD had not publicly challenged allegations that Spanish football was corrupt or that competitions had been manipulated.
“Not a single word. Why?” he asked, arguing that such accusations could also damage the dignity of the sport, its clubs, officials and supporters.
Tebas said his original post had explicitly distinguished between propaganda techniques and ideology, and insisted that the tribunal should consider the complete text rather than isolated phrases. He added that he would be prepared to challenge the matter in court if necessary.
The CSD’s request asks the TAD to determine whether there are grounds to consider a possible breach of Article 76.4.b of Spain’s 1990 Sports Law. That provision classifies public acts that undermine sporting dignity or decorum as serious infractions. The referral is not itself a finding of misconduct, and the tribunal must assess whether disciplinary proceedings are warranted.
The dispute has intensified the long-running conflict between Tebas and Real Madrid. The club condemned his remarks and demanded his resignation, describing the comparison as unacceptable given his senior roles in Spanish football.
Tebas also referred to previous disputes involving the CSD and recalled the case involving former Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales, who was suspended for three years after the controversy surrounding the 2023 Women’s World Cup final.
He ended his response by reaffirming his intention to defend LaLiga against what he considers repeated attempts to undermine its credibility, while taking a swipe at the CSD’s own management.
The next step rests with the independent sports tribunal, which will decide whether Tebas’s comments warrant formal disciplinary action.