Eibar President Alex Aranzabal compared Elche’s unpaid tax bill to a Tour de France cyclist using performance-enhancing drugs.
A judge on Monday confirmed Elche would play in the Segunda next year as a result of an unpaid tax bill and Aranzabal told a Press conference that the League isn’t just about what happens on the pitch.
“The fundamental idea is that competition requires compliance. And the competition isn’t only being fought on the pitch. As well as the 38 games, there are certain requirements,” he said, AS reports.
“Breaching the requirements has consequences. It’s the first time this has happened in the Primera but not the first time it has happened in Europe. It’s a step forward to legitimizing the competition.
“In Scotland, a team like Rangers, who would be Real Madrid or Barcelona here, was relegated because of their debts.
“The competition requires sporting and financial compliance. Football clubs are businesses and must meet their obligations on and off the field.
“A cyclist can win the Tour de France but a few days later be found to have used illegal substances and it detracts what was won on the road. A club not meeting it’s tax obligations is like a doped cyclist.
“It’s fair to act against those who don’t comply with the regulations and distort the competition. We must all compete with the same weapons.”
