It may be that football and the country have gradually forgotten what happened, that it is no longer talked about on the streets or in the newspapers or in the stadiums, that it is no longer rumored on the corners, that No one asks “hey, what happened to them?” anymore than the news that went around the world at the time; It was left in the distance of the archives, as one more anecdote of Colombian soccer. But Manuel Esteban Gonzalez He has not forgotten what happened on December 4, 2021, when his name was implicated in a scandal of alleged match-fixing. And now that he is asked what happened to his life and that of his companions after that day, Manuel is certain: “They wanted to stain me as a person and as a player.”
The game returns to his head, as if it hadn’t been that long, as if it had been a recent nightmare. Manuel was there. minute 96, Union Magdalena scores the equalizing goal against rangers, the fans at the Manuel Calle Lombana stadium can’t believe it, 1-1, so far everything normal, soccer hazards. But immediately, the unbelievable: Union attacks again and the local players are paralyzed, like chess pieces that only look at a bishop attack that did not seem so accurate. They don’t move, they look; They don’t react, they look. And goal, and 2-1. From a distance, Manuel —he says— doesn’t know what’s happening, he doesn’t understand, he thinks it’s out of place, when he raises his head there’s already anger in the stands; with that improbable goal, Union ascends to A, and far from there, in another square, Strength they are left empty-handed and they denounce an apparent rigging, and the image of the goal begins to travel the country and the world in a matter of minutes.
But in the 96th minute, incredibly, Unión Magdalena turned it around. The most suspicious of all was the goal, because the defenders of Llaneros remained practically still. pic.twitter.com/7CdX3X1jur
— Valentin Torres Erwerle ✍️🎙️ (@TorresErwerle) December 4, 2021
In a few hours the Llaneros players were already in the public arena. An investigation began that started in the Colombian soccer estates and moved to the courts, to the Attorney Generaland which generated vehement pronouncements from lawyers, opinion leaders, ministers, former soccer players, even the then President of the Republic, ivan duke, who asked that the fact be clarified. The news monopolized the spaces in the media for days. The message was clear: get to the bottom, let the truth be known, let there be sanctions.
In May 2022, Dimayor announced a suspension of all sports activity for a period of seven months for 4 Llaneros footballers for this case, including Manuel (together with Jorge Duván Mosquera Campaña, Daniel Steven Ramírez Peña and Carlos Arturo Hincapié Jaramillo), and an economic fine equivalent to 16 monthly legal minimum wages in force for failing to comply with article 116 of the Single Disciplinary Code of the Colombian Football Federation.
‘There was no evidence’
More than 7 months have passed since that announcement and then Manuel answers the phone to return to that game. And the first thing he clarifies is that there was never such a sanction. That there was no evidence. That he continued playing soccer, although today he does not have a team.
“They wanted to impose a 7-month sanction on us, but the institution appealed because the sanction had no arguments, and the Prosecutor’s Office realized that there was no evidence,” Manuel clarifies, and there is no anger in his voice, it is simply the the voice of someone who remembers that they had a very bitter drink that still burns the throat.
“They summoned us to the Dimayor, to the Prosecutor’s Office, they interrogated us as if we were criminals… Until they told us that the case had been closed because they found nothing. There was no financial penalty either, at least I didn’t have to pay anything, I don’t know the club, but I made it clear from the beginning, don’t mess with my pocket because I didn’t do anything, ”he says.
‘I never received incentives’
Manuel, at 32 years old, remembers the moment exactly, explaining that he was coming from a fibula injury and ankle ligament rupture, that he came on at minute 66 and had no competitive rhythm, that he felt tired, that he was far from the controversial play, and after that, it is not explained with certainty what happened.
His name was implicated because before the goals, at minute 88, he received from his teammate Carlos Hincapie what seemed to be a piece of paper that aroused all kinds of suspicions. But nothing could be proven, beyond the fact that the country was outraged and that Fortaleza insisted on the investigation because they felt harmed. “Today I remember that and it makes me laugh. I was very tired and I received an energy gum, that was it, and they said it was a piece of paper”, says Manuel and really laughs.
In the midst of the controversy, he spoke on his social networks, defended his integrity, and his words sparked another controversy, because in his outburst, he said: “We were not all cut with the same scissors.”
“Why did you say what you said?”
—I can have 11 companions, but I’m not friends with all of them, I don’t know if they received indecent calls or proposals. I speak for myself.
After all this, Manuel chose to take refuge in his home in Villavicencio to avoid so much pressure, the insults towards him, his wife and his parents, even threats (as denounced by one of his colleagues on social networks); He preferred to get away, he stopped answering the calls, he took refuge while the investigations progressed and while time did its job of being time. But one day, after so much paperwork, so many interrogations, seeing his name over and over again on TV, he received the official notification: “There is no sanction,” so at the González house there was a small celebration of victory, as a goal, as a relief. And Manuel, who always defended his honesty, went out into the street again. After all, he says, he had nothing to be ashamed of.
Today, when he talks about that game (that nightmare) again, he reaffirms the words he said just after the scandal broke out. “I never received an order or talk or received an economic incentive or that they told us ‘in such a minute if we don’t score the goals we have to score we’re going to let ourselves win.’ None of that happened. I never found out about match fixing, that’s why I said, if something is discovered one day, let it come to light. I am healthy… ”, he clarifies, and his voice takes on a sudden strength.
If they had offered us money I would not have lent it, I would have said so, I don’t mince words: if they offer me 80 million for that game I say ‘they called me and offered me and I didn’t accept them’,
What is your reflection on that episode?
—One remains stained, but I’m interested in having made my position clear, and if they want to believe me, they believe me, my acquaintances know who I am. Others will say that now I tear my clothes, that now I do speak, or that I cover myself up, but that doesn’t take away my sleep, my family knows who I am. I’m not afraid to say things as they are; If they had offered us money I would not have lent it, I would have said so, I don’t mince words: if they offer me 80 million for that game I say ‘they called me and offered me and I didn’t accept them’, out of principles, because of my values, because of how I was formed, but there was nothing…
‘Doors close’
Manuel González is an attacker, he is a goalscorer, he has spent almost his entire career in Llaneros, 146 games and 25 goals since 2012. He wanted to achieve promotion, it was his dream, and if not, go and succeed elsewhere, but continue in football. But after the episode, and although it is not a direct consequence, his career was somewhat stagnant.
Since there was no sanction, he returned to Llaneros, 17 games and a goal in 2022, but it was no longer the same, because he played less and less. The change of coach meant his sudden exclusion. He was no longer taken into account. “It was time to fight, fight to recover the rhythm, the level, the performance, and fight with the stain that they wanted to put on one as a player and as a person ”, says.
In 2022, a year after the scandal, it ended with another drama: Manuel no longer had a contract with Llaneros. They did not renew it. And this is the time that he has no new equipment, so he waits for the phone to ring.
—Did what happened close the doors?
—We are in a society that when these things happen, doors are closed. Many club presidents prefer to say, no, this ‘man’ receives money or is a union member or ‘x’ or ‘y’ reason, so with things like that I think doors are closed, although when they don’t have the arguments they get carried away by what that is said, based on a supposition: I suppose that there was money, I suppose that there was rigging, but it was not like that… They judge you, criticize you, close the doors.
The time has passed. Manuel doesn’t forget, but he prefers to pretend it’s over, like it’s past. He thinks it’s in his future. He expects an option abroad. If nothing works out for him in soccer, he tells him, he will go with his wife to another country, they have projects, but he doesn’t want to go to that extreme. Manuel hangs up the phone and waits for it to ring again, for him to answer and on the other side is another official notification that this time tells him: Manuel, this is his new team.
Present of the 4 designated players
The president of Dimayor, Fernando Jaramilloconfirmed to EL TIEMPO that this case was completely closed.
In turn, the president of Llaneros, Juan Carlos Trujillo, He commented: “It was totally closed. In all the entities that investigated us, both public and private.”
Three of the indicated players are active:
Manuel Esteban González Lozano (Without team)
Jorge Duván Mosquera Campaign (In Llaneros)
Daniel Steven Ramírez Peña (In Tigres)
Carlos Arturo Hincapié Jaramillo (In Tigres)
PAUL ROMERO
Editor of EL TIEMPO
@PabloRomeroET
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