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Argentina Minister Publishes Data Report Alleging Referee Bias Aided Barracas Central

President Javier Milei publicly endorsed the study, elevating the accusation against AFA chief Claudio Tapia.

Overview

  • Federico Sturzenegger released an analysis asserting Barracas Central received 8.59% more favorable sanctions and 28.1% fewer against, equating to roughly 8.5–18.5 extra points per 28-match season.
  • The report applies synthetic-control modeling plus machine learning to build a counterfactual “synthetic Barracas,” finding a post-2017 divergence from pre-2017 parallel trends.
  • Researchers compiled data from BeSoccer covering more than a decade across lower divisions and the top flight, testing predictions on 11,724 matches involving 99 teams.
  • Milei amplified the findings on X, calling the result “demolishing” evidence of irregular officiating, while the coverage reported no response from Tapia or the AFA.
  • The study highlights Tapia’s ties to Barracas, noting the club is led by Matías Tapia and plays at a stadium bearing Claudio Tapia’s name, as the team enjoys its strongest spell with Copa Sudamericana 2026 qualification.