PARAGUAY: Indonesian youth sports exchange scandal in Paraguay ends in repatriation

Record ID: 449616

  • Title: PARAGUAY: Indonesian youth sports exchange scandal in Paraguay ends in repatriation
  • Date: 1st December 2009
  • Summary: ASUNCION, PARAGUAY (NOVEMBER 27, 2009) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JUDGE TERESA MARTINEZ, SAYING: "They came here on the promise that they were coming to a soccer training camp. They wanted to learn to play soccer in Paraguay because they said that they were impressed by the level of Paraguayan soccer, which is internationally recognized, and also because they could continue their formal studies. So they came in the name of this project, but the promises made to them were not fulfilled and they were practically abandoned."
  • Embargoed: 16th December 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Paraguay
  • Country: Paraguay
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA63BOLX0QKSDPWX46VY5CKV1I4
  • Story Text: A group of youths who survived the 2004 Asian tsunami are to be repatriated back to Indonesia from Paraguay after a scandal surrounding their sports exchange program surfaces.
    Thirty Indonesian youths in Paraguay for a sports exchange program have been ordered to return to their country after irregularities in their visas became apparent.
    The visa issues surfaced after the youths, all between 13 and 16 years of age, denounced they had been the victims of theft, mistreatment and, in some cases, sexual abuse while training in soccer camps.
    All of the boys were previously victims of the 2004 Asian tsunami and came to Paraguay in August 2008 as part of an agreement between the Indonesian province of Aceh and the Paraguayan Olympic Committee.
    They launched a protest, damaging some of the installations of the centre where they were being housed before officials were alerted to the situation.
    Judge Teresa Martinez, who is investigating the case, said on Friday (November 27) the boys had been "practically abandoned".
    "They came here on the promise that they were coming to a soccer training camp. They wanted to learn to play soccer in Paraguay because they said that they were impressed by the level of Paraguayan soccer, which is internationally recognized, and also because they could continue their formal studies. So they came in the name of this project, but the promises made to them were not fulfilled and they were practically abandoned," Martinez said.
    After the Indonesia youths reported to authorities they had been abused at the Paraguayan Olympic sports centre where they were living, they were transferred to this hotel until a court could rule on the matter.
    They said they had just wanted to learn how to play professional soccer.
    "[I came here] to play soccer, to be a professional player for my country, my family and for me," said Rasmanudin Udin, who was orphaned after his family died in the Asian tsunami.
    A Chilean sports official who pushed forward the exchange initiative, Nelson Leon Sanchez, has been charged with regards to the case.
    Their new trainers say the team has a lot of potential.
    "They move about really quickly. They are very disciplined, they play really well as a team. Technically they are really good," trainer Marco Antonio Chea said.
    The Paraguayan government intervened in the situation earlier this month and began facilitating the return of the boys to Indonesia.
    A Paraguayan judge then ordered last week that the 30 youths had to return to Indonesia within 15 days because the tourist visas they had entered the country with had already expired.
    The sports exchange program was supposed to run until 2011.
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