Raúl Pacheco won silver medal in the Toronto 2015 marathon

Raúl Pacheco won the silver medal in the Toronto 2015 marathon, but the athlete was not completely happy. Not only because he was very close to winning the gold, but also because he believes that "support was lacking" to prepare in the best way possible. Pacheco said that a trip to Mexico, where they would have finished training for this race, was canceled. That's why we approached the president of the Athletics Federation, Óscar Fernández, who explained what happened.

"There is a limitation and it is that, due to how funds are managed in the State, the Federation becomes a very rigid entity with what we do budget-wise. We must budget funds well in advance because that is what is required of us. After running the Rotterdam marathon, Rodolfo Gómez had no plans to make any trips with the athletes until Toronto. They asked me about Mexico in April when they returned from Rotterdam, and the budget was already set. That makes it very difficult for me because we are not allowed to move money that was budgeted for something else. I could commit embezzlement, it's not that I don't want to," explained Fernández.

Raúl Pacheco receives nutrition, a coach, and also a salary from the sports support program of the IPD. That's why Fernández believes that his statements were made in a moment of "frustration" due to how the race went.

"Raúl is an athlete whom we appreciate and respect very much. I believe that his statements are made in a moment of frustration due to how the race went. Raúl Pacheco, like all our distance runners, is supported by the Federation. There is support that has been given and that has allowed him to train and come in second place now. The Federation provides that; it has also allowed him to participate in the Rotterdam marathon and qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympics," said Fernández.

Fernández mentioned that Inés Melchor, for example, requested to do a training session in Toronto in advance. And it was granted.

"Inés, for example, requested to go to a training camp in Toronto. The request was made in January, in advance, and she went. In a self-critique, the system makes you a little rigid, but that is not only with athletics but in general with all federations. The ideal thing here would be for the State to see the situation and be able to not only oversee sports but also promote it."

The president of the Federation also explained why Gladys Tejeda and her coach Rodolfo Gómez did travel to Mexico before the Pan American Games in Toronto 2015.

"We also gave the authorization to Gladys and Gómez to travel with the commitment that the Federation would reimburse the expense. And we will do it by taking money from an income that the Federation has that does not come from the State. The same offer was made to Raúl and the other guys, but they decided not to go."