A new complaint of irregularities in a federation was uncovered this week. The victim is the karateka Magdalena Godoy, current number one in the under 21 and senior -50 kg ranking, who after winning the National Karate Championship, earned the right to represent Chile in the next Adult Specific Paran American, which will be held next May in Punta del Este, Uruguay.
The complaint that Godoy makes, “with much anguish, sadness and much disappointment,” is against the National Karate Sports Federation of Chilewho arbitrarily changed the selection process for the adult team, “with a Standing Ranking similar to the one they carried out for the Pan American Games, where the rules were also changed halfway through the selection process, just like now.”
With this format, Godoy is not a representative of Chile in the Pan American Games, but he could still be, since the federation wants to hold a tournament to determine the national representatives. However, this will be held behind closed doors, without the public, without being able to record and without the presence of the coaches.
The problem that Godoy denounces is that this change should have been consulted by the board of directors in an assembly with the 25 current Karate associations in the country, a situation that did not occur and has led 22 of the groups to present protests in total disagreement with the determination. .
Furthermore, this decision did not pass through “the technical commission”, which had to be informed of this situation, which is why said commission expressed its total and absolute disagreement with the measure taken by the Federation’s board of directors.
“I tell you that I will not undergo again a process that resulted last year, that I will be unfairly left out of the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games“Godoy said. Today, again they want me to undergo the same process, but this time I will not allow it since I legitimately earned my place on the tatami in the last zonal, the last national championship, where I am the Under 21 and Senior champion, throughout the entire process 2024 qualifier,” he added.
“Gentlemen of the board, if you want me to compete again and prove that I am the best I have no problem doing it, but not in this way: do another national, with open doors, with my coach in the chair, being able to protest in case of any irregularity and where all the people are eyewitnesses of the competition. But the way they are imposing it, NO,” Godoy told the Federation.
The Federation version
After numerous attempts to communicate with the federation – since they do not even have a press team – The counter He contacted Ángelo Pacheco, technical manager of the Chilean Karate Federation, who simply said that we should wait for the statement that they would publish later.
Hours later, through Instagram, the federation’s response to Godoy’s complaint arrived. In the text, in addition to explaining why they decided to change the format, they make Godoy out to be a liar, pointing out that “we invite you to think about the good of national Karate and obtaining achievements at the country level beyond getting places for a competition.” specific. Along with this, we also invite you to investigate the topics that are published on social networks and collect the versions of all the parties involved before issuing an opinion on the matter. It is everyone’s responsibility to prevent the dissemination of information that is untrue and that affects the sports development of our country.”
Regarding the selection processes, they say that “having a single event that classifies athletes in fundamental events is a measure that goes against what was stated” in the statement. Among what has been stated, they highlight that the selection processes have the “objective of increasing the level of Chilean karate” and that the public is not accepted at the stops so that the referees “do not suffer pressure or distractions” from the public and the coaches.
Finally, they hint that the federation is currently in the election process for the position of president of the board of directors, which is why they regret that “this situation could be used as an impetus to obtain adherents in the campaigns.”
Godoy, in conversation with The counter, said that “we were taken by surprise when they published this statement. I read it clearly and well, there are several things that as far as I know, because I had a meeting last Tuesday with the associations that are against and all that, there are several things that that statement is not true.”
“Basically in that statement I feel that they call me, in quotes, a liar, but from what I know, many things are not true, such as the fact that according to them they approved this in an assembly with the full agreement of the associations. I understand that such an assembly was never or never touched on that topic.. Now the technical committee was asking that they take the minutes and show the recording of said assembly, which they say was approved,” he adds.
“I feel that in this statement, the federation wanted to wash its hands trying to say that they are doing everything the right way when it really is not, when there are already complaints from the associations and the technical committee,” he concluded.