After it was revealed that Francisco Egas intervened in the transfer of a football player on behalf of Universidad Católica de Quito while being president of the Ecuadorian Football Federation, which is prohibited by the FEF statute, a new document - which this newspaper had access to - accounts for the negotiation with the Los Angeles Football Club last December.
This is the American team that José Adonis Cifuentes has been playing for since January, whose rights belonged to Católica until the previous season. On December 22, 2019, John Thorrington, executive vice president and general manager of sporting operations for the MLS team, sent a letter to the Quito club addressed to "Dear Francisco" (Egas). This, despite the fact that at the time the leader was the president of the Ecuafútbol.
The document comes to light two days after this newspaper revealed that Egas signed a power of attorney on December 5, 2019 by which Católica authorized Matthew Neidl Eguiguren, a player agent, and Valencia Media Group to "officially participate in negotiations, on our behalf, and on behalf of our player José Adonis Cifuentes Charcopa with the MLS club Minnesota United."
Both cases, despite the fact that the Quito executive has been a member of the FEF board of directors since winning the elections on January 31, 2019. After being assigned to the presidency of the governing body of national football, his peers disavowed him on April 24 of this year, citing "unilateral governance"; the resolution to remove him from the main position and restructure the hierarchy was ratified at an extraordinary congress on May 1 by clubs and affiliates of the Ecuafútbol.
- Egas intervened in the transfer of a football player on behalf of Católica while being president of the FEF, which is prohibited
In the Ecuafútbol statute, there is a rule that expressly states that once the vocal assumes the position on the FEF board (in this case Egas, as president), they must leave the position or representation they previously held (leader of the Camaratas). The last paragraph of article 38 says: "Upon taking office, the vocal of the board, both main and alternate, are automatically disassociated from any affiliate of the Federation and, therefore, the legal representation they had, if any, will cease."
In the document dated December 22, 2019, the executive of Los Angeles FC addresses the delegate from Católica regarding the details of Cifuentes' transfer to the Los Angeles team.
"Dear Francisco, through this means I would like to reiterate that we commit ourselves to deposit $2.3 million, tax free, into the bank accounts or account number indicated by the club (Universidad Católica). Making it clear that said money comes from the United States without any retention or tax," the letter states in its opening.
Documents | A new legal issue for Francisco Egas? According to information obtained by this newspaper, the director intervened in the transfer of a football player, on behalf of U. Católica, when he was president of the #FEF, which is prohibited by statutes ► https://t.co/UOn8KqnIGb pic.twitter.com/lbDI4GgsTM
— Marcador (@marcadorec) July 18, 2020
Later, Thorrington continues: "As we have expressed on several occasions, we trust in the previously agreed upon agreement and therefore in your word (club) in order to successfully carry out the transfer of José Cifuentes."
Egas facilitated the transfer of the 21-year-old player to the MLS, according to the document dated December 5, 2019.
This newspaper contacted the Quito leader on Sunday to obtain his version on this and other matters, but although the message reached his mobile phone, there was no response. (D)