The Asociación Amateurs de Football (AAmF) was a dissident football association of Argentina that organised its own championships from 1919 to 1926. The Argentine Football Association did not recognise those championships until both associations were merged in 1926. Currently all the championships organised by the AAmF are considered official by the AFA.Campeones de Primera División, AFA website
History
On 16 March 1919, the Primera División season started with 19 teams taking part. With the 1919 championship still disputing, the conflict began. The Argentine Association rejected representatives from the clubs Estudiantil Porteño, Independiente, Platense, Racing, River Plate and Tigre. As those teams maintained their position, the Association disaffiliated them temporarily.
Meanwhile, seven other clubs, Atlanta, Defensores de Belgrano, Estudiantes (BA), Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP), San Isidro, San Lorenzo and Sportivo Barracas, expressed their solidarity with the suspended clubs; therefore, the association directly expelled them With only 10 fixtures played, the championship was suspended and all the matches played until then were annulled. The breakage was related to (among other reasons) the brown amateurism, an undercover way of professionalism where the clubs informally paid salaries and special prizes to their players."¿A qué hora jugamos?" by Luis M. Leguizamón, Static editions
The 13 clubs that had been disaffiliated or expelled from the AFA joined forces to form a new association with the purpose to organise their own championships. The "Asociación Amateurs de Football" was officially established on 22 September 1919, with an assembly held in the Jockey Club on 6 December."Memoria y Balance Asociación Amateurs de Football 1919–1921" – AFA website
On the other hand, Boca Juniors, Estudiantes (LP), Eureka, Huracán, Porteño and Sportivo Almagro remained affiliated to the official body. On 28 September, both competitions started, the official (AFA) with only those six teams and the dissident (AAmF) with 14 teams (including the addition of Vélez Sarsfield).Argentina 1919 on RSSSF.com
Because of the conflict that made the official championship take longer than expected, the AFA tournament was ended. As a result, Boca Juniors (which was placed 1st at the moment of the decision) was crowned champion with 14 matches yet to be played.Argentina: 1ra. División Asociación Argentina 1919, 19 December 2008 The AAmF championship was won by Racing Club.Argentina: 1ra. División Asociacion Amateurs 1919 by José Carluccio, 20 December 2008
After seven years of championships held that included the trespassing of clubs from a body to another, on 19 November 1926, President of Argentina Marcelo T. de Alvear called both associations to a reconciliation meeting that laid the foundations for a reunification."Un poco de historia" As a condition to reach an agreement, the AAmF required that all the teams that had played the 1926 AAmF championship (26 in total) remained in Primera División. This was conceded, and the two associations finally merged on 28 December 1926.
Founding members
Atlanta Defensores de Belgrano Estudiantes (BA) Excursionistas Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) Independiente Platense Racing River Plate Sportivo Barracas San Isidro San Lorenzo Tigre
Competitions The AAmF organised several competitions, as listed below: Domestic Primera División (1919–26) División Intermedia (1919–26) Segunda División (1919–26) Tercera División (1919–26) Copa Competencia (1920–26) Copa Presidente de la Nación (1919–26)
International Copa Campeonato del Río de la Plata (1923)
Champions
Primera División
Season Champion1919 Racing 1920 River Plate1921 Racing1922 Independiente1923 San Lorenzo1924 San Lorenzo1925 Racing 1926 Independiente
División Intermedia Season Champion1919 Barracas Central 1920 General Mitre1921 Palermo1922 Argentino del Sud1923 Liberal Argentino1924 Excursionistas1925 Talleres (BA)1926 Honor y Patria
Segunda División
Season Champion1919 Sportivo Barracas III 1920 Oriente del Sud1921 Villa Crespo1922 Nacional (Adrogué) 1923 Acassuso 1924 Racing III 1925 Perla del Plata1926 Racing III
Tercera División
Season Champion1919 Racing III 1920 Estudiantil Porteño1921 Almagro1922 Vélez Sarsfield1923 Platense1924 Platense1925 Sportivo Alsina1926 Platense
Copa de Competencia
Season Champion 1920 Rosario Central 1924 Independiente 1925 Independiente 1926 Independiente
See also Federación Argentina de Football Liga Argentina de Football Football in Argentina
Notes
References