Article by Sergiu Alexandru – published on Thursday, June 12, 2025, 10:30 / Updated Thursday, June 12, 2025 10:38
The Association of Stelists 1947 (AS47) submitted a complaint to the Romanian Football Federation, considering the decision to prohibit the “military” promotion.
Daniel Oprița's team finished the Liga 2 season on a promotable place, as in seasons 2021-2022 and 2022-2023, but the club subordinated to the MApN could not promote because FRF forbids departmental clubs to play in the first league. Now, the red-blue supporters have submitted to the Competition Council a complaint against the FRF.
Star supporters accuse FRF of abusive behavior
Specifically, in the statement posted on Facebook, The Association of Stelists 1947 accuses FRF of “instituted, through abusive changes of its own licensing regulation (RNLC & SF), restrictive conditions that prohibit the participation of public law clubs, including Steaua București, in the National Championship – Liga 1”.
The supporters of the “military” claim that they have requested the opening of an investigation into the “abusive behavior of the FRF” and they want the federation to modify the licensing regulation, so that the star can participate in the first division.
Moreover, AS47 wants Steaua, through interim measures ordered by the Competition Council, to be able to play from the next season in the first division.
The full communication issued by the Star Association 1947
Official complaint against the Romanian Football Federation (FRF), submitted to the Competition Council
The Association of Stelists 1947 (AS47) publicly announces that, as an association of supporters of the Steaua București club and direct consumers of the sports product offered by it, He formulated and filed an official complaint at the Competition Council against the Romanian Football Federation (FRF), pursuant to the Competition Law no. 21/1996, with subsequent modifications and completions.
The legal basis of the complaint:
The complaint is based on the violation of art. 6 letter. c) and art. 9 letter. a) and b) of the law of competition, which prohibit the abusive use of a dominant position and establish discriminatory conditions within the relevant markets.
FRF, an entity in a legal monopoly position on the market for organizing football competitions in Romania, has instituted, through abusive changes of its own licensing regulation (RNLC & SF), restrictive conditions that prohibit the participation of public law clubs, including Steaua București, in the National Championship – Liga 1.
The concrete situation:
The Steaua București Club, although it has won on the field of sports to promote in Liga 1 in seasons 2021-2022, 2022–2023 and 2024-2025, was systematically blocked by FRF from obtaining the license, invoking the provision of art. 14.02 of its own regulation, which obliges clubs to be organized exclusively as associations without patrimonial purpose or joint stock companies.
This provision violates the principles of loyal competition, the provisions of Regulation (EU) 651/2014, the CJUE jurisprudence in case C-333/21, but also the right to free association guaranteed by the Constitution of Romania (art. 40) and the Law of physical education and sport no. 69/2000.
Key elements invoked:
Sports clubs, including those of public law, are qualified as “enterprises” within the meaning of the competition legislation, according to the Competition Council and the CJUE jurisprudence.
FRF applies a discriminatory treatment between clubs that offer equivalent benefits (participation in Liga 2), affecting competition and sports merit.
The commercial rights of clubs in the 2nd League (including TV rights) continue to be included collectively by FRF, in contradiction with the commitments made by it in the CC Decision no. 13/2011.
What do we request by complaint to the Competition Council:
Opening an official investigation into the abusive behavior of the FRF;
Obliging the FRF to modify the licensing regulation, in order to eliminate the discriminatory article;
Granting the license for participation in Liga 1 to the Steaua Bucharest Club and other public law clubs, based on the sports merit and the fulfillment of the objective criteria;
The application of the sanctions provided by law for violating the competitive norms;
Imposing interim measures to allow the participation of the Star in Liga 1 in season 2025–2026, in case of obtaining the appropriate sports performance.
AS47 is a legally constituted structure according to OG 26/2000, with objectives that include the defense of the interests of the Steaua București club and its supporters. We believe that the intervention of the authorities is imperative to restore the legality, competition and equality of treatment in Romanian football.
We reaffirm our total support to the Steaua București Club and ask all public institutions to watch over the correct and non -discriminatory application of the law in sports.
