‘He must still improve a lot organization in the Professional League’

The Ecuadorian Sol Muñoz is serving her second term as a delegate of the Conmebol before FIFA. In the second part of his talk with THE UNIVERSE the Quito lawyer talks about the next international tournaments in Ecuador, the level of LigaPro and his relationship with the president of the Ecuadorian Football Federation.

What can be your contribution to Ecuadorian football, being in FIFA?

They have told me a lot ‘what does Ecuador gain from its representation in FIFA?’ I do not know. People can expect additional prizes or competitions to be organized in the country. The thing is not going that way because being ready for an international tournament does not depend on one person. It is an issue in which even the Government must be involved and I experienced that in Uruguay (venue of the final of the Libertadores Cups 2021 in women and men). It is a job from above, a big commitment. Having the name of Ecuador on the soccer map is a benefit; also if we have a FEF that is willing to work, to be part of the Conmebol team. In FIFA the fan is very big, we are very many. But at Conmebol that they take us into account, that our opinions be heard, is very important.

This year there will be international competitions in Ecuador

Receiving the final of the Copa Libertadores for men and women is important for Ecuador because of that showcase that we are going to have.

How is your relationship with Francisco Egas (head of the FEF)?

We have known each other for a long time through the Catholic University. It is a closer relationship now as he is the president of the FEF. We were together in the finals of the Libertadores in Uruguay; we attend meetings, events that always exist. We have a very good relationship.

Are you planning to apply to Ecuador for an international tournament in the future?

It is always an objective, we must see the capacity we have and how we are organizing ourselves from the Government; From the Ministry of Sports, there has been a lot of interest in making Ecuador an attractive place; out there we can have interesting projects, but we have to go little by little. Having the finals of the Libertadores is going to be extremely important and from that experience you can think of bigger things.

Will the Copa América be organized again in Ecuador?

It is a competition that rotates between countries. We wanted to see how we were sharing a joint headquarters with Argentina and Colombia; unfortunately due to the pandemic this was suspended. I do not know if in the future they will try to make this joint headquarters, or as it has always been done, as a single headquarters. Ecuador is in line.

Is the LigaPro tournament really tenth in the world?

I don’t know if we’re in the top 10. I’ve heard that a few times in the press, I haven’t checked it, but I think the organization still needs to improve a lot, refereeing needs a lot of training. We are going to see how our teams reach international competitions.

How to make the country’s referees make less mistakes?

It is the work of many areas, there must be a budget for training and it can be gained from exchanges between associations or confederations. Conmebol has been working on that. There is a close relationship with UEFA, the idea is to make exchanges. There were already European referees in the Copa América and we also sent there. The FEF could apply that system. In Conmebol there is a wonderful arbitration center; there are so many areas that need attention, it can be a bit complicated to organize, but it is not impossible; With the proper organization, with the right people for certain positions, these alliances can be achieved to improve our refereeing, that they are more attentive to applying the rules. The VAR system is helpful, but it is quite expensive.

Is there a recommendation for changes to the soccer rules?

More than implementing changes to the regulation, it is necessary to enforce it. Have that legal security; If we already have a clear regulation, let it be followed. That it is the same for everyone, that there is not a shirt that weighs more than another, whoever makes a claim has the certainty that a process will be followed, investigate what happened, draw a resolution; Before a change, we must enforce what is in force.

How many women are there in FIFA and Conmebol?

In Conmebol there are many, but no director because that position is held by the presidents of the national federations; In FIFA there are six of us and we represent Conmebol, UEFA, CAF, Oceania, Asia and Concacaf. (D)