Javier Tebas

Javier Tebas Medrano (Spanish pronunciation: [xaˈβjeɾ ˈteβas]; San José de Costa Rica, 31 July 1962) is a Spanish lawyer. One of the most influential leaders in world football, he is the president of Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional,[lower-alpha 1] also known as La Liga. In December 2019, he was re-elected for a third term until 2024.[1]

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Tebas and the second or maternal family name is Medrano.
Javier Tebas
Tebas in 2019
President of Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional
Assumed office
26 April 2013
Preceded byJosé Luis Astiazarán
Personal details
Born
Javier Tebas Medrano

(1962-07-31) 31 July 1962
San José, Costa Rica
NationalitySpanish

Biography

Graduated in Law from the University of Zaragoza, he has been a lawyer since 1987, with expertise in Company Law,  Sports Law and Bankruptcy Law.[2]

Tebas has worked for eleven different La Liga clubs, with his first one being appointed president of SD Huesca in 1993.[3][4] He served three terms as the Vice-President of Liga Nacionoal de Fútbol Profesional,[3] being elected for the first time in 2001, and also worked for the G30 group of clubs, where he helped the clubs negotiate their television deals.[3][4][5]

In 2013, Tebas was appointed the president of La Liga after an uncontested election in which he was supported by 32 of the 42 La Liga and Segunda División clubs.[4] Prior to the election, Tebas had promised to clean up the Spanish game after match-fixing allegations, and also to make match tickets affordable.[3][4][6][7]

Tebas studied law at the University of Zaragoza.[4] Tebas is a Real Madrid fan, although he has said that this does not affect his neutrality as president.[8][9]

Among the various positions he holds as president of LaLiga are: Member of the Board of Trustees of the Professional Soccer Foundation since 2013; Vice Chairman of the SEFPSAU Board of Directors since 2009 and President of the same since 2013; he is also member of the Administrative Board of the following subsidiaries since 2016: LaLiga USA Inc.; LaLiga South Africa Proprietary Limited; Beijing Spanish Football League Consulting Co. Ltd. [2]

Controversies

During his tenure, Tebas has said that Spanish league matches could be held outside of Spain, although he has said that El Clásico will only be held in Spain,[8][10] and has also said that if the Catalonia region became independent from Spain, then its football teams, including FC Barcelona and RCD Espanyol, would not be allowed to compete in the Spanish football leagues.[9]

In January 2019, Tebas announced his support for the Far right nationalist Vox party. Saying "They seem good to me", Tebas said on Cadena Cope. "I've been saying it for a while. Spain needed an alternative like Vox. You have to respect the 400,000 people that have voted for them in Andalucia. If they stay on this line then I will vote for Vox.[11]

Tebas is a critic of former UEFA acting president Ángel María Villar, and is quoted as saying that he hoped Villar became permanent President, so that he would leave his job at the Royal Spanish Football Federation.[12] Tebas has also been critical of FIFA, saying that they need an overhaul of personnel in order to regain the trust of the footballing community.[13] Tebas blamed FIFA for contract information leaks by the Football Leaks website about contract details of La Liga players.[14]

Tebas has also been a vocal critic of what he deems "financial doping" within football.[15] He has stated that state-run football clubs are a "danger" to the sport.[16]

Notes
  1. Some sources refer to him as the president of La Liga.
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References
  1. AGENCIAS, RTVE es / (23 December 2019). "Liga | Javier Tebas, reelegido presidente de LaLiga por tercera vez". RTVE.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  2. IESE Media. Javier Tebas curriculum vitae
  3. "Javier Tebas". Leaders in Sport. Archived from the original on 24 March 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  4. Nunn, Garreth (16 January 2015). "Javier Tebas: The man with a plan?". Football Espana. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  5. Sanz, Óscar (22 August 2003). "El G-30 insiste en su plante". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  6. "Javier Tebas se presentará a la presidencia de la Liga de Fútbol Profesional". Sport (in Spanish). 15 February 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  7. "Javier Tebas, proclamado definitivamente como nuevo presidente de la Liga". Libertad Digital. 26 April 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  8. Bull, JJ (17 November 2015). "La Liga president Javier Tebas supports Real Madrid". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  9. Mazariegos, Luiz (1 March 2016). "La Liga President Javier Tebas: "Clubs of independent Catalonia cannot play in the league"". SB Nation. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  10. Malyon, Ed (18 November 2015). "La Liga president Javier Tebas admits Spanish league games could be played abroad". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  11. https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/la-liga-javier-tebas-vox-andalucia-partido-a8732291.html
  12. "La Liga chief Javier Tebas renews feud with acting UEFA boss Angel Maria Villar". Reuters. 10 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016 – via Eurosport.
  13. "FIFA incapable of change from within: Spanish league chief". Agence France-Presse. 22 October 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2016 – via The Daily Star.
  14. "Tebas: FIFA at fault for contract leaks". Football Espana. 10 February 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  15. MacInnes, Paul (20 January 2020). "La Liga president criticises Fifa and says richest clubs are 'danger' to game". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  16. "'State clubs' Man City, PSG are dangers to game - La Liga chief". AS.com. 6 August 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
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