Article by Marius Mărgărit – Published on Tuesday, 10 March 2026 22:23 / Updated on Tuesday, 10 March 2026 22:41
Even though there is only one week left until March 18, the date of the FRF elections, the situation flared up after a move by Ilie Drăgan, the only official opponent confirmed after submitting the candidacy files.
Initially, he appealed to the forum at Casa Fotbalului, accusing Răzvan Burleanu of violating article 50.1 of the statute, which states that “no person can hold the position of president of the FRF for more than 3 (three) terms”. And the current president is running for the 4th, after those of 2014/2018, 2018/2022 and 2022/2026.
The appeal from the FRF was rejected, now it has gone to the TAS
In his appeal, Drăgan specified that “the text is clear and leaves no room for any interpretation: the ban concerns the position of President of the FRF and establishes a maximum numerical limit of 3 mandates. The norm is imperative, not dispositive, being formulated in the form of an absolute prohibition: “No person can hold the position of President of the FRF for more than 3 (three) mandates”.
In the interpretation of the norms, the legal principle enshrined in doctrine and jurisprudence works: ubi lex non distinguit, nec nos distinguere debemus – where the norm does not distinguish, neither can the interpreter distinguish.
Art. 50 para. (1) does not distinguish between mandates before or after a change of status. It does not distinguish between mandates exercised under one wording or another. Therefore, neither the Commission can introduce a distinction that the text does not contain”.
However, his approach was rejected by the FRF, on the grounds that the change in the Statute regarding the maximum number of mandates, from two to three, was made after the appointment of Răzvan Burleanu as president of the FRF, in 2014. And that first mandate cannot be taken into account because the law cannot act retroactively.
“If the FRF opposes, I await the decision of the TAS”
Ilie Drăgan did not give up, however, and on March 9 he submitted a new appeal, this time to TAS.
By which he requested that “the ban on running for Mr. Răzvan Burleanu be declared valid, considering that he exceeds the limit of three mandates provided by art. 50 paragraph (1) of the Statute of the Romanian Football Federation”.
The said document was officially registered and received a file number. The procedure is ongoing, and within it a request for provisional measures regarding the suspension of the General Assembly from March 18, 2026 was also made.
By March 12, the Romanian Football Federation must express its agreement or disagreement regarding the urgent procedure for resolving the case, which could take place before the date of the elections. And by March 16, the FRF should also announce whether it agrees with the suspension of the elections.
Founder and president of the “3 Kids Sport” club, Ilie Drăgan explained that “those from the TAS informed me that these are the two deadlines that the FRF must fall within. If they do not agree, it is very possible that on March 17 the TAS will issue a resolution suspending the elections until my motion is resolved”.
“Those who proposed me were scolded by the feds!”
Precisely because it was clear that this new candidacy of Răzvan Burleanu would cause reactions, the president of the FRF hoped that he would not have an opponent. But Ilie Drăgan decided not to give up and entered the race for Casa Fotbalului again.
It was proposed by 7 affiliated clubs, not 5 as the minimum provided by the Statute. But Dragan makes a new accusation: “It is clear that there was no wish to be an opposition for Mr. Burleanu.
Because I later found out that the representatives of the clubs that nominated me to be able to run were called and scolded by people from the FRF management. Who reproached them for giving me those proposals”.
