Elche lodges an appeal over possible inappropriate fit of Gavi against Barcelona
Following a formal decision by the Royal Spanish Football Federation’s Competition Committee, the appeal filed by Elche CF was rejected and archived. The case concerns the registration and eligibility of Barcelona midfielder Pablo Paez Gavira, known as Gavi, in the league clash between the two clubs on April 1. The committee confirmed that the player met the technical requirements to participate in official matches under the applicable rules and that his registration was valid at the time of the game.
The federation clarified that Gavi fulfilled all the conditions established in article 248.1 of the general regulation, which outlines the official criteria players must meet to be eligible for matches. It was stated that the player was legally registered and had a license issued within the periods defined by the regulations, as recorded by the competition authorities.
According to the federation, the license remained valid and there was no breach of Article 141.5, which governs registration changes within a season. The General Statutes of the federation defend the decision, indicating that no violation was found in the process surrounding Gavi’s licensing. The matter involves a transition where the player moved to a different registration category, using a youth card linked to the first team in an earlier signing, and a subsequent injunction that temporarily adjusted his registration status.
The injunction, initially issued by a Barcelona commercial court, was later annulled after it was determined that deadlines for filing the lawsuit had not been met. The legal process then moved forward, resulting in a decision that affected Gavi’s registration status for a period of time but ultimately allowed him to continue playing within the season’s framework under careful oversight.
In the aftermath, Barcelona requested clarification from the RFEF general secretary regarding whether Gavi could continue to appear in the first team ahead of the upcoming league fixture against Elche. The Competition Committee’s ruling granted permission for Gavi to be included in the Barcelona squad as of March 29, two days before the match held at Estadio Martínez Valero, which ended in a 4-0 victory for Barcelona.
During the match, Gavi was present as part of the squad, reinforcing the ongoing discussion about eligibility and registration practices. The federation subsequently signaled a restoration of the licensing arrangement to reflect the status prior to the controversial measures, with the general secretary maintaining the license that had previously been issued for the youth team involved in the original signing process.
Elche now has a ten-working-day window to appeal the decision with the Appeals Committee, though initial expectations suggest continued proceedings may be limited. The case continues to highlight the delicate balance between licensing rules, registration changes, and competitive eligibility within Spanish football, as clubs and authorities navigate the intricacies of player registration amid shifting administrative interpretations. The overarching aim remains to ensure fair play while upholding the integrity of licensing processes for all registered players.
The federation’s approach emphasizes restoring the registration framework to its prior state before the disputed measures were adopted, thereby aligning with the standard licensing procedures previously approved for the youth team involved in Gavi’s early registration. This stance aims to preserve consistency in registration records and avoid precedent that could affect future cases.
Elche possesses a formal window of ten working days to submit an appeal to the Appeals Committee, though provisional indications suggest participation may be limited and the outcome remains uncertain for now.