Youth Team Faces Relegation Threat Amidst Controversy

CF Inter San Jose is escalating its fight against a controversial decision by the National League Competition Committee.The club is taking its case to the Administrative Court of Sports (TAD) after a three-point deduction, initially levied last month, was upheld by the Appeal Committee on march 28. This penalty stems from an incident involving their Youth ‘A’ team and could considerably impact their fight to avoid relegation from the National Youth League.

The Incident: A Match Suspended Due to Alleged Racism

The controversy erupted during a match between Levante ‘B’ and CF San Jose ‘A’ on March 1. The game was halted in the 64th minute after a San Jose player reported being racially abused by a Levante opponent, who allegedly said, You don’t touch me, mono (mono being a derogatory term). According to the referee’s report, neither he nor his assistants directly heard the alleged slur. In response, the San Jose team collectively walked off the field, leading to the game’s suspension.

The Competition Committee later sanctioned CF San Jose, awarding Levante ‘B’ a 3-0 victory and deducting three points from San Jose’s league total. The club initially appealed this decision, arguing that the penalty was unduly harsh given the circumstances.

San Jose Argues Against “Re-Victimization”

The club vehemently opposes the point deduction, arguing that it effectively re-victimizes the aggrieved player. They believe that punishing the team for supporting their teammate sends the wrong message and contradicts the principles of anti-racism protocols. In their appeal to the National second Instance Committee of the RFEF on March 14,San Jose emphasized that the sanction undermines efforts to combat violent,racist,xenophobic,or intolerant behaviors in sport.

While acknowledging the regulatory loss of the match,the club insists that they should not be further penalized for standing in solidarity with their player. They argue that it is illogical to punish the club of the victimized player for adhering to anti-racism principles.

Appeal Rejected: Committee Cites Unilateral Decision

Despite San Jose’s impassioned plea, the Appeal Committee rejected their arguments on March 28. The committee maintained the sanction, stating that the team’s abandonment of the field was a unilateral decision not prompted by the referee. They argued that the referee only suspended the match after Inter San Jose left the field, thus justifying the penalty.

…the abandonment of the field is a unilateral decision of the sanctioned team (…) and what it does not hold on the part of the collegiate of the meeting, who only adopts the decision to definitive suspension of the meeting, precisely, for the abandonment of the Inter San José Club, there is only one to appreciate the infraction indicated, with its consequences.

TAD Appeal: A Last Stand for San jose

With the previous appeal failing, CF inter San Jose is now pinning its hopes on the Administrative Court of Sports (TAD). The outcome of this appeal is crucial, as the deducted points could be the difference between remaining in the National Youth League and facing relegation. Currently, CF Inter San jose occupies tenth position with 31 points, just two points above CD Pablo Iglesias, who hold the relegation spot with 29 points.

since the controversial match against Levante, San Jose has recorded two victories (2-1 against Patacona and 1-3 against Orihuela) but suffered defeats against Alboraya (1-2) and Villarreal (1-0). These results highlight the precariousness of their league position and the importance of every point.

The Stakes: More Than Just Points

The appeal to TAD represents more than just a fight for league points. It is indeed a matter of principle for CF Inter San Jose, who believe they are standing up against racism and supporting their players. The club views the point deduction as an injustice and hopes that TAD will recognize the importance of their actions in the face of alleged discriminatory behavior. The outcome will not only determine their league status but also send a powerful message about the importance of solidarity and anti-racism in youth sports.