Independiente reported three grooming cases in the youth academy | OneFootball

Independiente reported that three cases of grooming were reported in its youth divisions. The club detected them after the father of a minor warned a coach, and a complaint was filed with Prosecutor’s Office No. 2 in Avellaneda on Friday, May 15.

Through its social media accounts, the club explained that they activated the protocol “immediately” and that the authorities met with the family of that youth player to offer them “all the necessary assistance to safeguard the minor’s psychophysical health.”

“Following this incident, all areas of the club were alerted to heighten vigilance regarding this type of criminal conduct. Casa CAI’s interdisciplinary team identified two additional cases with similar characteristics, which was reported to the highest authorities,” they stated.

The institution contacted the organization Grooming Argentina to coordinate “informational and preventive talks led by specialized staff” and gathered “all the necessary information” to file the criminal complaint.

A legal representative of the club and a club official formally filed the complaint with Prosecutor’s Office No. 2 in Avellaneda last Friday, May 15. “It was agreed with the prosecutor in charge to return on Monday, May 18, in order to expand the filing,” they reported.

“Club Atlético Independiente reaffirms its absolute commitment to the protection of all children and adolescents, and will continue working alongside professionals and specialized organizations to prevent and combat all forms of violence against minors,” they said in the statement.

Grooming is a form of sexual violence against minors in the digital environment, through which an adult establishes contact for sexual purposes, “using strategies of deception, manipulation, and emotional coercion,” warns the NGO Grooming Argentina. In the country, under Law 26,904 of the Criminal Code since December 2013, this crime carries a prison sentence of 6 months to 4 years.

Almost a decade ago, in 2018, cases of child abuse were uncovered at Independiente, an episode that shocked Argentine football at the time. The prosecutor determined that at least 15 youth players were affected and that six offenders were guilty of aggravated sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, promotion of prostitution, and corruption of minors, with sentences of up to 15 years in prison. In April 2025, there was a new conviction in the case: Alberto Ponte (players’ agent) joined Alejandro Dal Cin, Silvio Fleytas, Juan Manuel Díaz Vallon, referee Martín Ríos, and Leonardo Cohen Arazi (public relations officer).

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.