Before it was known who would lead the country, we witnessed that in the pre-election campaign and in the two debates with the presidential candidates, the importance of sports as a mechanism for preventing consumption or addiction was not considered. Nor as a way to stop the criminal progress of young people, as other countries have done with proven results.

Due to such lack of interest, I once again warned the authorities about the obligation to provide a solution. For this reason, on October 7, 2023, I wrote a column in this newspaper entitled ‘Sports in Ecuador: the last wheel of the car’. With the election of Daniel Nobo Azín as president of Ecuador, we learned that he has a plan in his portfolio to benefit the children and youth of the country through sports.

News emerged that during his visit to Spain, as president-elect, he had a meeting on November 3, 2023 with Javier Tebas, the president of the Spanish League, which was also attended by the head of the Pro League, Miguel Ángel. It was known that the main idea was to link the experience of the Spanish league in the development of football schools throughout the country, following the experience of El Salvador, through an agreement called Values ​​and Opportunities.

With the support of the Spanish League, 2,700 low-income children benefit from keeping them away from crime and drugs, giving them a chance at life through sport. The news was, no doubt, encouraging. Finally, the president of Ecuador perfectly understood that the development of sports is not only pure recreation, but a tool that modulates the future of young people in the escalation of drug consumption.

It was a high-voltage topic that was mostly discussed in offices and presidential decrees that declared sports a state policy, but with little pragmatism. No in-depth, qualitative analysis was carried out to develop a strategy and create a properly funded permanent national structure (with trained teachers, medical assistance programs, involvement of social assistance specialists and involvement of parents in the project).

Noboa seems to be aware that international treaties and the Constitution on human rights require states to protect drug users and that it is their duty to consolidate their rights under the pro-person principle. The state is obliged to provide a comprehensive solution so that children and young people do not become breeding grounds for criminal activities, drug consumption and sales. How much have governments done to fulfill this constitutional requirement? The answer is that there was perverse inaction.

The National Assembly continues to pass a new Sports Law that dethrones the current one, which only served to politicize the operational organizations of Ecuadorian sports and the ministry itself, a law approved in 2009 during the government of President Rafael Correa. It is a centralist, nationalizing law, useful as an instrument to take over the organizations that govern sports in the country, not caring about the pressing problems faced by the youth due to the lack of mechanisms to protect them.

With this background revealing the indifference and incompetence of governments in every era, it would be traumatic if President Nobo did not make a difference on this issue. We believe you can do it. The encouraging messages he offered. On his first day in office, he fulfilled his campaign promise to de-schedule drugs.

That instrument that regulated the maximum quantities that a person can carry for consumption, without detention or prosecution, but which unfortunately became a free way for micro-vendors to manage sales to children and younger schoolchildren in the country. Statistics confirm this. In practice, with this table, it became impossible to distinguish a consumer from a micro-trafficker.

It must be admitted that in recent days the Pro League has been very active in the development of sports projects for the benefit of children. We confirm this with the proposal immediately accepted by the mayor of Guayaquil, Aquiles Alvarez Henriques: a program called the Pro Kids League Soccer Championship, which will involve more than 10,000 boys, girls and adolescents. Taking care of your health and putting your free time aside, in order to occupy your mind and time by playing sports and prevent you from being caught by crime, drugs and addictions in general, is the plan.

As for the National Master Plan, which will use sports to eradicate and prevent consumption, there is hope that it will revive. A few days ago, the topic was reactivated. The president of Liga Pro said that the social sports project they are promoting, with the support of the Government, consists of the creation of 750 football schools in the country in the medium term, with the support of the Spanish League. Today they are collecting information to be clear about the amount of investment and the places they have identified as priorities, which would be Guayaquil, Durán, Quito, Machala, Quevedo and Manta.

The goal of the Pro League is clear: to bring together children who play football, who receive medical services, and try to involve families in the proposal. Of course, since it is a national plan, the question arises as to where the money is for such an ambitious project. Loor noted that funds are expected from private companies and, of course, from the public sector. As for private support, it is sustainable through alliances with private companies that consider sport as an advertising strategy, taking into account that today there is a tax incentive of double deduction of income tax. There are also funds abroad, in the hands of foundations and non-governmental organizations that are ready to support these sports projects for social purposes.

My opinion is that the Pro League should lead the plan. I really doubt that the Ministry of Sports is capable of doing it. Minister Andrés Guschmer said that the priority is to reach more than 200,000 users through recreational and sports projects and that the source of financing for its implementation is a 3% increase in VAT. It would be good if the minister was at least well informed about the proposed law to deal with internal armed conflicts and the socio-economic crisis. The explanation explains why the VAT increase is urgent and for what purposes these funds would be used.

For now, to make such an important purpose a reality, I believe in the determined will of President Noboa. It would be important to create a special commission made up of appropriate officials from this Government who work with civil society and the Pro League. This crusade must be a reality for the benefit of children and youth in the country. (OR)