Article by Rubén Uria, one of the best journalists in Spain.
Aquí.
For three years, a group of journalists -it is a generous euphemism- more and more numerous, has launched a crusade that places Real Madrid as a victim of the referees. His proposal consists of petty debates where the audience rules and where it is cheap to throw the stone while hiding the hand. Where the sewer sells more than rigor, Barça is accused of having the favor of the referees. The curious thing is that, despite hours and hours of unbearable gatherings, the crusaders of the conspiracy still have not provided a single proof that the referees row in favor of Barça.
To this day, no one has been able to prove that Victoriano Sánchez Arminio, a bad manager, was a player, member, supporter or director of the Barcelona Football Club.
It must be frustrating for the media puppets who write and speak at the dictation of their master( Florentino Perez, in case some clueless person does not know who he is referring to) , who have not yet been able to certify that the Spaniard has or has had links with Barça, an alleged arbitration protégé. On the other hand, the newspaper archive of the newspapers of the time, added to the archive of the magnificent historian Bernardo Salazar, reflects a very different reality: a necessary and hygienic reality that unequivocally concludes the record of the
National College of Referees. Come and read:
Alfonso Albéniz Jordana, first president of the National College of Arbitrators. He was a Real Madrid player (1911-12), a member from 1912 and also a director of the Chamartín club for eight years, from 1913 to 1921.
Carlos Dieste Vega, second president of the National College of Arbitrators. Real Madrid player in the 1914-15 campaign and later merengue manager from 1914 to 1921.
Luis Colina Álvarez, third president of the National College of Referees, after its refoundation due to a serious crisis. (1924-26). Don Luis was a director of Real Madrid 1919-20 and at the time, a member and supporter of the Madrid club.
Antonio de Cárcer, fourth president of the CNA (1926-28). Partner of Real Madrid and also a manager. His brother Juan was the first coach of Real Madrid and his brother Fernando, vice president of the Santiago Bernabéu in the forties.
Luis Iglesias Gracia, fifth president of the CNA (July 1928). He barely lasted two months in office, being an interim president who barely made decisions.
Julián Ruete Muniesa, sixth president of the CNA (September 1928-November 1928). Only two months in office. He was a player for Real Madrid (1904-10) and Atlético (1910-11), secretary of the merengue board and also became President of Atlético de Madrid (1912-23).
Alfonso Albéniz Jordana, seventh president of the CNA (1928-29). He returned to the position to be the first president of the first edition of the professional League. He was a player (1911-12), a partner (since 1912) and also a director of Real Madrid (1913-21).
Antonio de Cárcer y Disdier, eighth president of the CNA (1930-36). Once again, he was once again the highest referee, as in 1926. He was a partner and manager of Real Madrid, as well as the brother of the Madrid club's first coach.
Eulogio Aranguren Labairu, ninth president (1939-46). After the Civil War, the Central Committee of Referees was created, with Don Eulogio being its president. He was a Real Madrid player, a member since 1911 and also vice-president of the Spanish Football Federation.
Manuel Álvarez Corriols, tenth president (1946). Former referee of the Castilian Federation. Barely eleven months in office. No known "colors".
Emilio Suárez Marcelo, eleventh president (1947). He only spent a year in office, but before reaching the armchair he was a member of Real Madrid since 1922 and also a prominent member of the Organizing Committee for the Golden Wedding Anniversary and the White Club's Economic Commission.
Ramón Echarren Sanzmagaray, twelfth president (1947-48). From the College of Referees of Navarra. It was said that he was a partner and supporter of Osasuna. He held office for a single campaign.
Pedro Escartín Morán, thirteenth president (1948-51). Former referee of the Colegio Castellano. His term lasted up to three years. He was a player for the Royal Gymnastics Society, although he always confessed privately that he was a fan of Real Madrid. He received an offer from Barça to be technical secretary, but due to his merengue status, he declined it. Later he was a writer,
journalist and chronicler, among others for the newspaper "Marca".
Luis Saura del Pan, fourteenth president (1951-52). He came to the referee's chair after having played for Real Madrid for nine years and having been registered as a Real Madrid member for almost 50 years, since 1905. Don Luis, a lifetime linked to Real Madrid, was also President of the Spanish Football Federation.
Eulogio Aranguren Labairu, fifteenth president (1952-53). He commanded the arbitration estate for 11 months. He came to the position after being a Real Madrid player for ten years (1911-21), apart from being a partner since 1911.
Emilio Álvarez Pérez, sixteenth president (1953-56). There is hardly any documentation referring to this president of the CNA. Nivario de la Cruz Hernández, seventeenth president (September 1956-November 1961). A former referee for the Castilian Federation, he never hid his friendship with members of the Real Madrid board of directors, such as Muñoz Lusarreta.
Manuel Asensi Martín, eighteenth president (1961-67). Former referee of the Castilian Federation, attached to the Valencian College, he came to whistle in Fairs Cup matches and international competitions, such as the 1954 World Cup.
José Plaza, nineteenth president (1967 to 1970). He resigned out of solidarity with Guruceta, that referee challenged by Barcelona after having whistled a penalty in favor of Madrid that was two meters outside the area. Plaza was the great "patriarch" of arbitration. In addition, this phrase is imputed to him:
"While I am president, Barça will not be league champions." Plaza denied these words over and over again. He was a former referee for the Castilian Federation, but played for the Real Madrid subsidiary, Plus
Ultra.
José Fernández de la Torre, twentieth president (1970). He came to office after belonging to the Andalusian College and after the resignations of Plaza, De la Fuente and Morales were accepted. He was also president of the FAF Coaches School since 1949. From 1960 he was adviser to the National Committee of Referees.
Juan Francisco Pardo Hidalgo, twenty-first president (1971-72). Former referee of the Castilian Federation. He advocated for professionalism, for putting a "cap" on the age of the referees and for stopping the clubs in their "recusals" to various referees.
José Plaza, twenty-second president (1972-1990). After resigning due to the "Guruceta case", he returned to office. Plaza was a former referee for the Castilian Federation and previously played for the Real Madrid subsidiary, Plus Ultra.
Fernando de Andrés Merino, twenty-third president (1990). He was president of the Management Board of the arbitrators. He became famous when he claimed to be unaware of the fact that Barcelona did not win when he was refereed by Ramos Marcos, a referee whose information file was opened for commenting on a Barça-Real Madrid match for Telemadrid. Linked to the Territorial Committee of Referees of Castilla y León.
Pedro Sánchez Sanz, twenty-fourth president (1990-93). Elected by the Central Board, although the Supreme Court annulled his election by a judicial order of 1992. He was the beneficiary of the "mysterious" resignation of the Catalan collegiate Albert Giménez, who withdrew his candidacy for the presidency. Sánchez Sanz acceded to the position "by hand", having whistled only in the Regional Preference, to later take the "big leap" and be an informant for the CNTA and become a member of the Madrid College of Referees in 1984, as reported by the ABC newspaper in 1991.
(*) The position was also held by Arturo López Espinosa-the twenty-fifth president-, but on an interim basis. Don Arturo was a member of Real Madrid.
For a century, 26 presidencies decided who and how they should arbitrate in Spain, applying the system of "fingercracy". An overwhelming majority of those presidents came to those positions after being players, partners or managers of Real Madrid.
Masks out.