The child abuse scandal that is rocking Messi-land
BUENOS AIRES : Argentinian football is in deep shock after finding out that a paedophile sex ring was operating inside one of the major clubs, Independiente, and possibly extending its tentacles to other teams. The network tried to identify children and teenagers from Independiente’s academy, and offer them a chance to earn money by introducing them to adults.
It is still unclear how the big the child abuse network was, but there could be as many as 500 victims, with seven of them young footballers from Independiente.
So far seven people, including an assistant referee from Argentina’s Superliga, Martin Bustos were arrested. Bustos, who is HIV positive, is now charged with child sex abuse and child prostitution, and could be sentenced to up to 20 years. His lawyer, Tomas Beldi, was also charged after smashing his defendant’s phone to erase evidence. Bustos’ father was convicted for child sex abuse in the past. Leonardo Cohen Arazi, a specialist in PR and with many links in politics and media, was also arrested and accused of child abuse. Juan Manuel Diaz Vallone, who organised child football tournaments, and Alejandro Del Cin, football agent (56 years old) were also arrested last month. A 24-year-old, understood to be a client, is also in custody. Investigation is now pointing to AFA officials and other clubs, but no arrests have been made.
The case emerged when one footballer from the club’s youth ranks broke in tears while speaking to the academy’s psychologist, Ariel Ruiz. With a confirmed victim, the psychologist made new interviews and discovered that it was not an isolated case.
The facilitator between the youngsters and the sex ring was another player of the academy, and possibly former victim of abuse, who was playing for the 4th Division. The club decided to provide full cooperation to the prosecutor’s office. Later, academy’s general coordinator pointed that “no player had left the club” since the scandal emerged.
THE “PENSIONES”
The “pension”, as it is usually referred in Spanish, usually depicts a few dormitories with bunk beds, a dining area and shared bathrooms. Players between 12 and 18 share the facilities and coexist under the club’s rules.
The kids’ parents are forced to sign a tutorship agreement with the clubs, that in return promise to take care of their children, send them to school, feed them and set a 8pm curfew so they can keep track of them. Pensiones are full of vulnerable children. Several famous players, like Pablo Aimar or Paulo Dybala, had to test their personalities by living in a club’s ‘pension’.
UNTRACEABLE METHOD
To avoid suspicions and not bend the academy rules, most of the sex encounters were made during the afternoon, the local prosecutor of Avellaneda’s UFI4, Maria Jose Garibaldi, has found out. Footballers were taken in a taxi to a shopping mall, and from there another taxi ride to private houses where clients would be waiting. After the sessions, they would return to the mall and from there to the club pension, before 8 pm.
There was a daily rate depending on the services, which started with something as low as 200 pesos, the equivalent of 10 Dollars, and went up to 1000 (50 Dollars).
VICTIMS EXPOSED
Last Friday, two professional players, one who was sold last year, were mentioned by journalist Gustavo Grabia on TyC Sports as potential victims, as they were mentioned in one of the witness statements. This prompted a fierce reaction from other journalists and personalities. Victims’ identities should always be safeguarded. It is the child sex abusers who need to be exposed. Grabia apologised to the players and their families.
After beating Corinthians in Brazil for the Copa Libertadores, midfielder Martin Benitez could not avoid tears. In front of the cameras, in the post-match interview, he said: “I’ve had a horrible time in these last hours. There are people who hurt you without realising. I only want to play, but it’s hard to concentrate with everything that is being said on social media, that affected me and my family”.
The investigation only appears to be in its preliminary stages. How big the child sex abuse network is remains unclear.