Spanish Football League (LFP) President Javier Tebas has "made clear his resolve to eradicate match fixing from Spanish football, as well as clean up clubs’ finances," according to FOOTBALL ESPAÑA. Tebas is "keen that ‘the small minority’ that attempt to fix games in Spain are removed under his watch." Tebas, speaking at a Europa Press breakfast, said, "The struggle against match-fixing is something I am criticized for, but I say the same as Blatter and Platini and do the same as them. It is a minority that are the problem, affecting one 1%, but it is a cancer that must be eradicated because while it has a small effect, if it is not corrected immediately it can spread and impact our sport. I will not stop. In the last two seasons I have found more collaboration, more awareness." Tebas also addressed the debt affecting many Spanish clubs. Tebas: “A short-term goal is to clean up the clubs, limiting what they spend in several aspects, not just salary. We must be able to control it and if, in four seasons, we have been unable to reduce the debt of the clubs who are in a difficult situation, then we will have failed. But we are capable, it is possible. I hope to have a League in four years that is economically sound. ... I ask for understanding through the media from many clubs because we will have a tough road, but the League will come out much stronger" (FOOTBALL ESPAÑA, 5/9).
TV RIGHTS REDISTRIBUTION: EP reported Tebas said that "he plans for a centralized sale of TV rights for the '15-16 or '16-17 season, 'one of them for sure.'" Tebas said "the problem doesn't come from the sale of the TV rights, but from the distribution." Tebas: "It is very important how the sale is made, and to whom it is sold. It is not the same as selling a package one way or another. Until 2010 the difference was 1-13 between the most and the least and there was a harsh conflict between the big teams and the smaller ones. Today it is 1-6.5, without counting the support money for relegated teams, which comes from the rights of the big clubs, including Atlético and Valencia, among others. ... From the hands of Real Madrid and Barcelona, we want something close to the difference of 1-4.5/5, the most fair" (EP, 5/9).
MATCH-FIXING 'WIDESPREAD': REUTERS' Iain Rogers reported La Liga Deportivo La Coruña President Augusto Cesar Lendoiro "has suggested match-fixing is widespread in La Liga while denying his own club is involved." Lendoiro: "Almost all the final matches of the season have been fixed in one way or another." Lendoiro blamed Deportivo's relegation in '10-11 "on match-fixing and said it was widely known that clubs were being paid to throw games to help others avoid the drop to the second division." Lendoiro said, "Let all football fans be absolutely clear, Deportivo has never taken part -- I will put my neck on the line for the players and the board of directors -- in this kind of match-fixing" (REUTERS, 5/9).
