The Spanish Royal Football Association (RFEF) has called an indefinite strike as from the 16th after a new law was signed by Congress reducing the royalties paid for audiovisual rights.
The RFEF says football is under attack by the government, and that until certain questions are resolved, it is cancelling all domestic matches.
The four main reasons given are:
- The withdrawal of the 4,55% royalty paid to the RFEF from all sales of the Quiniela, the state football betting slip
- The new laws which mean top sportspeople have to pay tax at the highest rate
- Investigations into club finances by the Tax Authority, which is demanding hundreds of millions of euros plus fines from unpaid taxes from clubs across Spain
- and changes to tax regulations which withdraw tax exemption from many club activity
The RFEF says 17 federations will sign up to strike, affection 600.000 sportspeople, 30,000 matches and 15.000 football entities.