The CSD estimates the appeal of Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor and FC Barcelona

• The agreement adopted by the Monitoring Committee of the RFEF-LaLiga Co-ordination Convention is null and void because it lacks that authority to refuse the prior visa and the federal licence.

Madrid, 3 April 2025.- On Thursday, the Higher Council of Sports (CSD) estimated the appeal submitted on 7 January by soccer players Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor and FC Barcelona, annulling the agreement of the Monitoring Committee of the RFEF-LaLiga Coordination Convention.

The incompetence of the Monitoring Committee to decide on the pre-visa and the licence requested by FC Barcelona has been clearly and undisputed throughout this procedure, and following the arguments of the parties.

The functions of the aforementioned Commission are expressly set out in the current coordination agreement between the RFEF and LaLiga. In particular, Title V, paragraph XIX gives it the functions of:

• Interpretation of the application of the provisions of the Convention.
• Monitoring compliance with the agreement.
• Promotion of activities aimed at making the Convention more effective.

In their claims, LaLiga and the RFEF argue that the Monitoring Committee did not adopt the agreement, but confirmed or ratified other previous agreements adopted by the competent bodies.

However, it is clear from the reading of the contested agreement that the Monitoring Committee neither confirmed, ratified, nor implemented the agreements adopted by LaLiga or the RFEF, but expressly agreed “not to grant the prior visa or the final licence requested by FC Barcelona for the players Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor”.

Invalidity of full right

As these powers are not assigned, nor are they the confirmation or ratification of previous valid agreements, the decision of the Monitoring Committee not to grant the prior visa or the licence should be considered null and void.

In law, the substance and material justification of decisions, such as forms, procedures and competences, are just as important.

The need for a decision by the appropriate body is evident from what was stated by the RFEF’s own legal counsel, stressing that its opinion “does not prejudge the decisions that might be taken by the possibly competent bodies”.

The licences of Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor remain in force

With this resolution, both players maintain their license in force. This is because the Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF) has also recognised, in its claims, that “there is no federative resolution to agree to the cancellation of licences”, a circumstance required by the RFEF itself in its resolution of 30 June 2022.

In any case, the professional career of Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor has been protected since 8 January by the urgent precautionary measure granted by the CSD with the sole interest of avoiding irreparable damage until the resolution of this procedure.

CSD does not assess the economic control exercised by LaLiga

Finally, the CSD wishes to stress that this resource is not about the economic control that LaLiga carries out on its partner clubs.

These functions are the responsibility of the LaLiga Budget Validation Body and, in the second instance, its Economic Control Committee.

If the LaLiga Budget Validation Body validated the economic operation on 3 January 2025 and, later on, the same body expresses a different position on the same operation, it is a question of an economic nature and of internal rules to be dealt with, where appropriate, at LaLiga’s own level.

In short, for reasons of incompetence, for not having followed the appropriate procedures laid down in the rules and for not being the body entitled to take decisions, the agreement of the Monitoring Committee of the RFEF-LaLiga Coordination Convention should be considered null and void and all the effects resulting from it invalidated.