“We were training and suddenly he comes running from the stadium toilet and cancheros saying that there were guys destroying the players’ cars. We all ran over there and the guys were gone. One of the witnesses managed to take a photo that was the one I uploaded to my Instagram”. Thus, Ignacio González begins his talk with AS Chile. In his networks, the goalkeeper of Deportes Antofagasta denounced a new act of violence that affected soccer players from a Chilean club.
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What happened? Unknown subjects arrived in the vicinity of the Regional Calvo and Bascuñán stadium to simply destroy the players’ vehicles. The alert of the officials of the stadium generated the desperation of the campus that could only see the consequences of the criminal act. ‘Nacho’ answers the call from AS to give more details of the situation and make a strong call to control insecurity.
– The cars were wrecked?
– Yes. There is material damage to some vehicles. Roof, hood, dents and scratches, all of it.
– Did you know the reason for the destruction?
– No, just that there were guys who were jumping on the roof of cars, leaving shit. Luckily they were material things, but at any moment we are prone to something happening to us, as happened to a colleague from Curicó (Bayron Oyarzo). They have already entered two or three times to rob the dressing room, they have stolen our things from our own stalls. Now the topic of cars. What comes next? There are wrecked cars, we’re not in a workplace that’s being safe. That’s why I make the call, because there have been many problems lately and deep down we have to be one hundred percent focused on the sporting issue and it’s unfortunate that this type of situation happens.
– And can you be completely focused on football with everything that is happening?
– It costs, but it is what we have to do. We all have the commitment to want to move this forward and in one way or another we have to do it. This is not that it happened once and that’s it. It has been repeatedly. It’s like going to work in an office and having to take your computer home because it can be stolen. We have to take our shoes from the same position where we sit. So many things have happened that deep down there has to be a stop.
– You mentioned the case of Bayron Oyarzo. How did that situation impact you?
– That’s why I’m making this call. What happened to him is a limit situation, one step away from a giant misfortune. Clearly these situations cannot occur and it is not that it has happened only once, because if it were, it would happen cool, perhaps, but they are repetitive things.
– Are you afraid to train with all the things that have happened?
– We are adrift because we don’t know what will happen next. Situations with the Municipality in which sometimes we don’t even know where we are going to train. I have to take everything home to avoid being robbed. And something like this had never happened to me in any other club. I don’t think they are fans of the club. Here the people of Antofagasta are super respectful despite the moment we are going through. I have been here for three years and they have always behaved impeccably with me. It is a mutual respect. I would have a hard time believing that it was a fan of the club. I appeal to the insecurity that we are experiencing, because then anything can happen to us. We have to raise our voice and take care of ourselves, because it is not right for these things to happen.
– You previously said that you feel adrift. Who should take responsibility for protecting them?
– I wouldn’t know how to answer you because I don’t know who the person in charge is. On the issue of cars, we talked to the administrator of the stadium, together with other colleagues we sent her an email about two months ago, because they had already scratched cars outside the stadium. She let us in for a while, but then she kicked us out again and the stadium parking lots are empty with a caretaker. At another time we have not had a field to train, so the issue has been unfortunate.
– So today the cars were outside the stadium?
– Today we are parking on the street. There are colleagues who are parking in a supermarket that is next door because they are afraid that their car will be stolen outside. And this has been something since the beginning of the year. It can’t be possible that they have to do that to make the car theoretically safer. They even run the risk that something happens to them on that journey to train. We have tried to speak with the authorities to be able to park inside. It is not a whim of ours, but it is a security issue. And what was talked about is happening now.
– Do you feel that there is an animosity towards the club on the part of the municipal authorities? There are already several conflicts between both parties in recent times…
– Many of us don’t know what happens there and as players it’s not up to us to get involved either because we have to be focused on football, especially for the moment we are in. But they are situations that are reiterated, and as much as we want to move the club forward, they are one after another every week. What I want is to avoid creating an even bigger problem.
González’s vision of the duel between Antofagasta – Palestine
One of the latest controversies in Chilean football has as its protagonist Sports Antofagasta. The ‘Puma’ club had to face Palestino last Saturday, but the authorities of the Regional Calvo and Bascuñán stadium They did not allow the entry of the teams or the refereeing body, generating a new embarrassment for the activity. The duel was suspended and it is even rumored that the North Americans will lose points.
“The players are not aware, we are only informed of what is happening. The things of the intern that have to do with the ANFP, the Municipality or the club, are things that we do not know. If they tell us that we have to concentrate, we do it. We have to be prepared to dispute the points on the pitch. The players have to be mentalized in that. I have always focused on sports, but when security issues are violated, one has to raise one’s voice so that these things do not happen anymore”, says the goalkeeper.
– What do you think that the loss of points in the match against Palestino is being analyzed?
– We thought we were going to play that day. The issue is going to be seen in court and the club is going to appeal if it has to. More than that, we don’t know.
– Did the statements issued by Coquimbo Unido and Deportes La Serena cause discomfort in you for the suspension of your match? They are direct rivals in their fight not to descend.
– It is something that we can see. It doesn’t depend on the players. The club has to deal with this issue, the players are here to follow orders. If we are told to play, we will.
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