TAD upholds Piqué's six-match ban and Andorra's partial stadium closure

Spain's Administrative Court of Sport has decided to uphold the sanctions imposed on 6 May by the Spanish Football Federation's disciplinary bodies on Gerard Piqué and FC Andorra over the events in the match against Albacete on 1 May. The ruling confirms both the six-match suspension for the former Barcelona defender and the partial closure of the Andorran stadium, along with a financial penalty for the club, in a case marked by repeat behaviour of this kind.

• The TAD upholds the six-match ban and two-month suspension for Gerard Piqué.
• Andorra keeps the €1,500 fine and a two-match partial stadium closure.
• Jaume Nogués receives the same sanction as Piqué: six matches and a two-month ban.
• Delegate Cristian Lanzarote serves three matches for disrespectful conduct and a two-month suspension.
• Only president Ferrán Vilaseca's four-month ban is overturned, ruled as an attempt rather than aggression.

Gerard Piqué's sanction: six-match ban and two-month suspension

The Administrative Court of Sport maintains the six-match ban on Gerard Piqué for behaving violently towards an opponent. The suspension comes with a two-month ban for notorious acts that undermine sporting decorum. The original sanction was imposed after proving the former player's links to the Andorran club through his company Kosmos, which allowed the disciplinary regime for directors or people with responsibility at the club to be applied.

Andorra's fine and partial stadium closure after the Albacete match

The Catalan club will have to pay €1,500 and close the box area and adjacent VIP seats for two matches. The RFEF disciplinary committee found a conscious and repeated failure to comply with orders, instructions, agreements or regulatory obligations issued by federation bodies, with the express warnings mentioned in the ruling. The repeat nature of these actions was a key factor in keeping the severity of the sanction.

The sanctions on Jaume Nogués, Cristian Lanzarote and Ferrán Vilaseca

The TAD also confirms the sanction on Jaume Nogués, identical to the one applied to Piqué: a six-match suspension and a two-month ban. In the case of delegate Cristian Lanzarote, the three matches for disrespectful conduct and two-month suspension stand. The exception is club president Ferrán Vilaseca, whose four-month sanction is overturned after it was determined there was no aggression towards the referees, but rather an attempt.

The role of Kosmos in the former Barcelona defender's sanction

Piqué's connection to Andorra through Kosmos was decisive in allowing the disciplinary committee to impose the two-month ban, a measure designed for people with management or representative roles. The TAD considered that relationship proven and backed the RFEF's decision, closing the administrative route for the former Spain international.

What the TAD's ratification means for Andorra

The confirmation of the ruling forces the Andorran club to comply fully with the financial and sporting sanctions imposed in the first instance. Beyond the sporting loss of not being able to call on figures like Piqué or Nogués for upcoming matches, the club will see capacity reduced in its premium area for two games and must pay the €1,500 fine. The TAD's decision exhausts the ordinary administrative route, although the parties can appeal before the contentious-administrative courts.

Frequently asked questions about the Piqué and Andorra sanctions