Coaches of the High Performance Plan (HPP), who have qualified eleven athletes and have 45 more candidates, have not been paid for eight months, local directors reported on Wednesday.
"The training process must continue, but the reality is that we have unpaid coaches. There is a significant unrest within the Federations, as they have not received the resources for High Performance," said Augusto Morán, president of the Ecuadorian Olympic Committee (COE) at a press conference.
He stated that the possibility of qualifying more athletes depends on the investment made "to provide for the athletes".
He added that if national institutions "do not invest", they will be limiting the rights of athletes, "first, to practice their sport, and then to attend the biggest event in the world, such as the Olympic Games."
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Morán blamed the Ministry of Finance for the delays in disbursing funds to sports, although he acknowledged the difficulties arising from the health and economic crisis that Ecuador is facing due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"In that sense, we cannot marginalize our High Performance athletes who have been training for 12 to 16 years, and in other cases, even longer," he said.
"The athletes who represent us are not being given the priority they deserve," he said.
'Respect the budget'
The president of the Ecuadorian Athletics Federation (FEA), Manuel Bravo, requested that the budget of $12 million assigned by the State for high performance in 2020 be respected.
"Eight months have passed and we have not received any resources. Achievements and sports results are being mortgaged in the face of a reality that should deserve a different treatment for sports," he said.
In addition to the salary delays for coaches, the presidents of other federations denounced the non-payment and tax obligations that they are experiencing this year with their employees. (D)