Spanish FA asks UEFA to remove Spanish government official

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - The Spanish football federation has entered into open conflict with Spain's government authority in charge of sports.

The Spanish federation said on Wednesday it will send a written request to UEFA that Miguel Cardenal, the president of the Spanish government's Sports Council, be removed from "any positions he has assumed in committees or working groups" within UEFA. It's also asking that UEFA "withdraw its support" of Cardenal to join the International Council of Arbitration for Sport.

Besides attacking Cardenal's role at the governing body of European football, the federation said it would write FIFA to "communicate our complaints regarding the illegitimate meddling of the Sports Council in matters reserved for Spanish football."

The federation said that its decision was a reaction to the Sports Council's "excessive interventionism" in football.

The Sports Council responded by saying the federation's statement contained "false accusations."

Federation president Angel Maria Villar and Cardenal have reportedly had running disagreements over state subsidies for football and measures to curb fan violence. The federation's statement cited "subsidy cuts" as one of its reasons to lash out at Cardenal.

The Sports Council hit back by saying the federation has avoided external audits of its finances and had broken communication with the council.

In a statement reported by Europa Press agency, the Sports Council "invites the Spanish football federation to once and for all collaborate with external auditors, who until now it has not allowed to complete their job regarding the 2013 fiscal year."

The president of the Spanish football league, Javier Tebas, defended Cardenal and the Sports Council. He told Spanish media that the Sports Council "has the right and even the duty to demand more transparency" from the federation.