Within the framework of FIFA, Diego Guacci is a South American women’s soccer expert selected to help select the candidates for the title of World’s Best Player.
As for teen players in Argentina, he is the coach who allegedly appeared in a video call, sent sexually explicit messages and berated 14-year-old girls in the dressing room with his behavior. threatened sexual abuse after losing a match.
Five players testified to FIFA ethics committee investigators that their club coach, who later became technical director of Argentina’s under-15 girls’ national team, and under the age of 17, violated his duty of care by directing sexual harassment, abusive behavior and anti-gay messages at them.
Now, more than two years after the two-women-led investigation began, alleged victims have discovered that a panel of three male FIFA ethics judges has refused to conclude Guacci has sin.
The chief justice, Vassilios Skouris, is the former president of the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.
The referee concluded “the evidence in the record is insufficient to corroborate, to its comfortable satisfaction, the players’ accounts of events.”
They noted in a 40-page ruling published by FIFA on Monday that their ruling does not mean the “reported facts” did not happen.
FIFPRO, the world players’ association, said it was concerned the incident would deter others from speaking out against perpetrators of harassment and abuse.
“The decision of the FIFA Ethics Committee raises questions about how much evidence is needed for disciplinary action,” said the Netherlands-based union, which represents players and witnesses, testifying. .
FIFA said in a statement on Tuesday that ethics investigators and judges “followed the proper process outlined in the FIFA Code of Ethics.”
In the ruling, Guacci was described as a “Fifa Technical Expert and Advisor since 1 January 2021 ” – a year after a formal lawsuit was filed against him. He has been appointed by FIFA. appointed in 2011 as a coach of women’s football.
A year later, the alleged incidents began and continued until 2015, when he worked in different positions with two women’s teams in Argentina, Atletico River Plate and Deportivo UAI Urquiz.
One player, who has been authorized by FIFA to remain anonymous, told investigators she was talking to Guacci about tactics during a video call when he asked her to take off her shirt and expose herself.
“I was completely shocked. I pretended not to understand and I hope he stops,” she said in testimony published in the ruling. “As I continued to prank, he repeated the request. Then he moved his camera and showed me that he was not wearing pants. He was only wearing shorts.
“I was completely shocked and appalled,” the player said. “I didn’t know what to do and felt disgusted, violated, and incredibly awkward. I just said, ‘I’m sorry, I’m in a relationship. I don’t do those things.’ I also don’t. pointed out that he’s my coach and I’m a player, and I’ve made it clear that I don’t want this.”
While asking her not to tell anyone about the incident, Guacci allegedly continued to pursue her with obscene calls and texts, including requests to send nude photos.
FIFA investigators said Guacci “accidentally confirmed that he harassed ” the player after calling another coach to ask if he knew if she was involved in the investigation. check or not.
Another player said Guacci aggressively used sexually threatening language against his team, including 14 and 15-year-old players, after losing a game.
“Mr Guacci repeatedly used inappropriate sexual references, including in the presence of players who were still children. His behavior was controlling, sexualized, aggressive. and dominate,” said the witness, described as Player A.
Witness Player C said of the incident: “It scared me. I was a little girl, and I wondered if we were in danger.”
Player A also testified that Guacci was “very undisciplined and inappropriate about the ‘private lives’ of the players and had” revealed the young player’s sexuality to her mother without consent. hers. “
Another player described her annoyance at being alone with Guacci in the car he was driving. “I was 15 at the time but he kept asking me about my sex life,” witness Player B testified.
She said Guacci used his affiliation with FIFA to empower him, saying that “the first word he always tells you is ‘I represent FIFA, I work for FIFA and for women’s football. .’ ”. Guacci also allegedly told Player C that she was fat.
“It was more bullying than technical appreciation. He made me feel horrible and he really traumatized me,” she said.
The FIFA ruling found that the coach’s alleged shameful and anti-gay comments were corroborated by witness Player D.
FIFA investigators cited four different violations of the Football’s Code of Ethics to conclude that Guacci was guilty of failing to protect the physical and mental integrity of the players.
Guacci has denied all allegations and provided a list of more than 100 potential witnesses to support him. The two testified that the coach and his wife supported the players at his club.
“He always presented an image of value, companionship, professionalism and FAMILY,” said one woman, described as Witness 2.
The initial complaint, Guacci said, was made by Player A, who was “annoyed that he couldn’t meet them [sporting] desired, declaring their displeasure with negative comments about his work. ”
