The start of the first women's professional league, baptized as Liga F, has been frustrated by an unexpected strike by the arbitration team. A conflict that leaves images that do not correspond to the one that should transfer a competition that finally buries amateurism. Yesterday's day was suspended game by game, with the players and the fans waiting for some referees who did not appear. And all this, with the DAZN cameras as a witness, after the company disbursed 36 million euros for the rights to the next five seasons. The F League is born slowed down.
The demands of the referees are fair, they ask for their employment situation to be regularized – they do not have a contract – and for a salary increase. "It is not conceivable that the arbitration establishment is the only one left out of a growth that we consider as fair as it is necessary," they denounced when they announced the break last Thursday, a few hours before the start of the competition. A main referee earns 300 euros per game -168 euros, the assistants-, but the new Professional Women's Soccer League (LPFF) had already transferred to the Spanish Federation (RFEF) a new proposal to increase these figures considerably, up to 1,650 euros for the main collegiate and 825 for each assistant.
In a statement issued after the strike was made public, spokesmen for the LPFF explained that they had not received any response from the RFEF to this proposal and assured that the arbitration group was being "deceived" by the Federation and by its president Luis Rubiales. The F League, according to the same spokespersons, promised to pay these amounts to the referees this day and invited them to negotiate their situation without intermediaries next week, but they rejected the offer. The will of the RFEF, on whom the arbitration body depends, is that the LPFF pay a single receipt of 21,000 euros per match and that it be the Federation that decides how to distribute it between salaries, travel, material and management.
Understanding the reasons, which have been defended and understood by clubs and players from day one, questions have arisen when assessing the ways in which this action has been carried out. Why two days before the start of the League? Why such drastic measures as a strike? Why is the confrontation not with the RFEF, which is the body that pays them?
The forms have not been liked and there are many protagonists who have spoken, such as the azulgrana Aitana Bonmatí or the former Espanyol player Lombi, who recalled the strike that Spanish women's football experienced in 2019. So, the players decided to stop after months of negotiations demanding a collective agreement. In this case, it is annoying that the strike was the first weapon used.
It is also strange that only the F League has been paralyzed and not the rest of the women's categories, which also started this weekend, and which are organized by the RFEF. One more argument that makes it clear that it is not just an economic problem, but a question of power.
Since the RFEF had to transfer the organization of the women's league to the LPFF, the clashes have not stopped. There have been disputes over everything: the ball, the calendar, the number of non-community players... Many will wonder why there is a conflict if the LPFF is now in charge of the competition. Well, there are five matters on which, by law, the LPFF and the RFEF must agree: calendar, promotion and relegation, non-EU players, arbitration and competition committees. These aspects must be included in a collaboration agreement that they have not been able to draft in time for the start of the season, so that in the event of any disagreement they must go to the Higher Sports Council (CSD) to mediate. This was pronounced on Friday night supporting the referees in their claim and summoning them to negotiations starting next week.
But it was not enough to stop the strike: "We appreciate the support, but we need something more tangible," they claimed before a statement confirming their indefinite strike -as they do not have a contract, they do not have the right to strike- and called a conference press tomorrow to explain his position.
Strike first and explanations later? The image of the referees is damaged since at the time of negotiating they already had the support of players, clubs and the F League itself.
