According to the FEF, the men’s team generates resources for the entity; and with the ladies, there is even the teams that have to be paid to come and play.
Carlos Manzur, vice president of the Ecuadorian Football Federation (FEF), responded to the claims of the members of the women’s team who asked for equality with their peers from the men’s team.
This claim they did before the friendly match preparatory for the Copa América 2022, which played the Tricolor against Argentina (2-2), last Saturday, in Quito.
“At the FEF we all do what is in our power to achieve that equality. Never before have so many resources been invested in women’s football. With this administration a Professional League, the Women’s Super League- which has been played since 2019 in first-level stadiums (this does not happen in most of the countries of the Conmebol) and is transmitted on the chain DirecTV to all the public ”, referred the manager in relation to women’s football.
In 2019 we had a final of Women’s Super League that has been highlighted internationally. Despite all the ravages of the pandemic, the tournament did not stop and again we were the example throughout the region. The proceeds of the proceeds from that tournament are shared out to all clubs, which means that all organization costs are borne by the FEF directly, only then can we continue with a series of unprecedented milestones in women’s football ”, reiterated Manzur.
Female selection
The manager indicated that the support for the female Tricolor has been permanent. “Regarding the women’s team, it’s the same. Everything in our power has been done. We have even allocated all the facilities of the Guayas Technical Center, located in Daule and recently inaugurated by FIFA, for women’s football ”.
“This is a multi-million dollar project whose second phase (concentration building) is about to begin. If we compare this infrastructure growth in the region, we will hardly find countries that have similar facilities destined exclusively to its feminine selection ”, reiterated the also ex-president of the Guayas Football Association.
Manzur said that the women’s team is served. “Our women’s selection is concentrated today in the House of Selection, in Quito. Play in the same stadiums where the men do, participate in the FIFA dates. We are one of the four countries in the region that played the four FIFA dates, even paying rivals to come to face our selection ”.
For the manager, there is a difference in what each selection generates. “This is also important to clarify, the games where he plays the men’s selection generate resources for the FEF; In the case of the women’s team, we not only have to cover the organization costs, but we also have to pay the rival teams, there is no income. Even the tickets are free, they have no cost ”.
Despite this difference, the FEF believes there is room for improvement. “However, and in this we must be emphatic, despite all these efforts, there are countless things that we still need to improve and consider in order to achieve equality, not only in football but in all sports, as a society ”.
“What you have to understand is that the men’s national team is the only one that generates income for the FEF and every day we make efforts so that these resources reach for the development of women’s football, training divisions, promotion clubs, amateur football, development of arbitration, futsal and beach soccer, for the operation of the provincial associations and all other activities that are the responsibility of the FEF ”, clarifies the manager.
“Despite all the effort we put in never being enough, we can’t stop struggling for achieving that fair equality ”, acknowledged the manager.
On whether the FEF knew or not the discomfort of the girls of the national team, Manzur clarified: “We met a couple of weeks ago a request for travel expenses that it is not possible to concede for local parties. What is done regularly is to reimburse the costs of transfers and local tickets; in addition to cover their expenses while they are concentrated “.
The manager pointed out that there was already a rapprochement with the girls. “The general secretary, Nicolás Solines, spoke with the players at the Casa de la Selección and explained to them the limitations that exist; however, we will continue to fight to achieve the just equality that we all seek and want. We can’t swoon on this. ” (D)
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