After a 2022 in which the rise of the Colombia selection in its different categories encouraged proposals, initiatives and promises for a strengthened Women’s League and with activity throughout 2023, reality today presents another panorama, or the same one: a new official tournament, which started this Saturday, for 5 months, and which It has aroused a new uncertainty among the athletes, who expected another scenario this year.
When I finish the Women’s America Cup in Colombia last July, there were enthusiastic voices about the women’s league, and even more so with the outstanding performances of the under-17, under-20 and older teams. From the Football Federation they said that in 2023 the League would be all year, the president himself said Ramon Jesurún. But not. The 2023 tournament is the same as last year, it will go until June 30, and there will not be a second tournament, at least not the official Dimayor one.
The Minister of Sport, Maria Isabel Urrutiawill reveal that there will be competition until November, with guaranteed salaries, but in the meantime, the players are still waiting for the promised League.
«Colombian soccer is full of empty promises,» the player wrote on Twitter isabella echeverry, who plays in Mexico, when the 2023 format was revealed. Carolina Pineda, an América player, sees a macro problem: “Barriers to the development of soccer in Colombia exist at a general level and prevent us from competing better at an international level. In our under 20s, not all of them have the number of playing minutes like top teams like Brazil. In women’s football it is more noticeable because they are unfulfilled promises, ”she said.
‘There is no time’
Independent Santa Fe Female
The Dimayor estimates that the investment for the current tournament will be about 6,000 million pesos and about 1,200 million that each club will put up to pay their payroll in those months. fernando jaramillopresident of the entity, argues that, in addition to the economic issue, the time factor limited the annual project.
“It is not an excuse, but there is a Women’s World Cup and the players must be available from July 9. And in October comes the Copa Libertadores, we would have a month of competition left, so it was better to have a champion and runner-up for the Cup, and in September we will have a short preparation tournament. A longer tournament was not so easy, he will use that he will play with a good quality tournament with guarantees”, Jaramillo told EL TIEMPO.
There were promises and commitments for the results, but this tournament is a replica of last year. A longer one was expected, with more options to compete.
From the Association of professional soccer players (Acolfutpro) They are not convinced by Dimayor’s arguments. Carlos González Puche, its executive director, thinks that this is a new disappointment: “There is frustration because we see that no determinations are made so that women can develop their activity in soccer. There were promises and commitments for the results, but this tournament is a replica of last year. A longer one was expected, with more options to compete. We believe that the Federation has resources to support the development of women’s football, they have cash to support the formation of a more solid tournament.
Puche reveals that he knew one of the projects on the table, which was for 4 years and to put together a 12-team league. “These people constitute a trust fund to guarantee payments; It seemed like a very good option to us, but it didn’t materialize,” he says.
More of the same
Paola García (8) celebrates Santa Fe’s first goal in the classic against Millonarios.
Dimayor. VizzorImage
In this tournament 17 clubs participated —first phase all against all—, some made alliances with amateur teams to compete, such as Nacional with Intimate Forms.
But not everyone is in the mood to make this investment and even less to extend the tournament. “If one makes 12-month contracts, he has to comply with income that is uncertain, but with expenses that are already fixed. We are going to have a gap of 600 million for this concept. What if it had been a year?» said the president of the DIM, daniel ossaThe Colombian.
And there is another controversy: this year the conmebol it forces the teams participating in its international men’s tournaments to have a women’s team, which is why Águilas Doradas, classified for the Copa Sudamericana, made an alliance with Cortuluá to be able to compete, which for some is a sprain to the norm. Eagles I don’t love you like this.
«For us it is a matter of CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY to add any additional cost to the project, which survives and persists thanks to the care of every penny. Taking this reality into account, at Águilas Doradas we have supported women’s soccer to the best of our ability and in in accordance with the provisions of Conmebol (Sports Criteria D04 Conmebol Club Licensing Regulations)… We have sought an association to have a presence in the Women’s League and we found it with the Yumbo team, in agreed and signed administrative terms… No we are the only team that guaranteed their participation through the alliance modality”, says the top owner of the club, Fernando Salazar.
Stagnation?
Deportivo Cali left Millonarios out in the Women’s League.
Dimayor – Image Vizzor
The paradoxical thing is that footballers, despite adversities, continue to deliver results. Andrés Usme, the last DT champion with America and now DT of the Ecuadorian National Team, analyzes that the outlook is not so adverse.
Everything will continue to grow, but the clubs must think about the structure of the women’s team, not only in the first division but also in the minor divisions
“It is a process that is not overnight. The league is on the right track, but there must be more participation from the company, so that it is not so difficult to get sponsorship for the teams. Everything will continue to grow, but the clubs must think about the structure of the women’s team, not only in the first division but also in the lower divisions, ”she says.
While the Ministry of Sports finalizes the project it has promised and the clubs started the short tournament offered by Dimayor, Acolfutpro is sitting at the table with the Ministry of Labor, with the mediation of the ILO (International Labor Organization) and Fifa , to develop a list of requests that includes guarantees for women’s football. The second session will be on February 17. That is the current scenario for a League that gets tired of promises.
PAUL ROMERO
Editor of EL TIEMPO
@PabloRomeroET