San Lorenzo Presidency Embroiled in Dispute as former Leader Alleges “Coup d’état”
A contentious power struggle is unfolding at Argentinian football club San Lorenzo, as former president Marcelo Moretti publicly challenges the legitimacy of his successor, Sergio Costantino, alleging a deliberate effort to oust him from leadership.
Moretti is currently pursuing legal avenues to overturn what he describes as an illegal transition of power, initiated by a declaration of acephaly – a state of leadership void – within the club. He maintains that the subsequent Remarkable Assembly which appointed Costantino was improperly conducted.
“I am fighting it,” Moretti stated in a recent interview on Radio La Red, “but beyond the annulment that I requested of the minutes of the Board of Directors of December 16, technically I have to respect the statutory processes and I am a former president. I am sure that Justice will agree with me.” He indicated plans to appeal a recent setback in Court 51, stating, “We are going to ask that they reconsider the sentence and if the rejection is sustained, we will go to the Civil chamber.” A reconsideration from court 51 is anticipated as early as Friday.
Moretti vehemently accuses Costantino of orchestrating a “coup d’état” following his two years in office. He claims Costantino lacked popular support, having finished third in previous elections. “No one elected Costantino, he came third in the elections, people didn’t even want to see him,” Moretti asserted, further alleging Costantino’s involvement in past “disasters” and the handling of a “Swiss fund.”
The former president also highlighted the near-defeat Costantino faced from Matías Lammens in the recent assembly, drawing a pointed analogy: “Imagine how bad it is for Costantino that in two days (Matías) Lammens almost beat him. Lammens is a BMW and Costantino is a Fiat 600 going to Mar del Plata.” Lammens,a controversial figure himself,narrowly missed regaining the presidency by just four votes.
Despite believing the Argentinian Football Association (AFA), under the leadership of Claudio Tapia, privately agrees with his assessment, Moretti acknowledges their inability to intervene due to the need to respect the club’s internal processes.
Moretti defended his tenure, claiming meaningful financial contributions to the club. “In these two years I put in 400 thousand dollars and since 2010 I have put in money,” he revealed. “If San Lorenzo has to return the money I put in, they have to give me a part of the stadium. I never claimed a peso.”
The legal battle continues, with the outcome poised to considerably impact the future direction of San Lorenzo.
Why: Former San lorenzo president Marcelo Moretti is challenging the legitimacy of current president Sergio Costantino’s election, alleging a “coup d’état” and improper procedures.
Who: Marcelo Moretti (former president) is challenging Sergio Costantino (current president).Matías Lammens was a close competitor to Costantino in the recent assembly. Claudio Tapia leads the AFA.
What: Moretti claims Costantino lacked popular support and came to power through an illegally declared state of leadership void (acephaly) and a flawed Extraordinary Assembly. He is pursuing legal action to overturn the election.
How did it end? As of this report, the legal battle is ongoing. Moretti is awaiting a reconsideration from Court 51, with plans to escalate to the Civil Chamber if necessary. The outcome remains uncertain, but will significantly impact san Lorenzo’s future.
