The Ecuadorian referees claim that both the Ecuadorian Football Federation (FEF) and the LigaPro maintain debts with the entire refereeing union. FIFA AR Monica Amboya says that the referees are going through an "uncomfortable" situation from the economic point of view, and she hopes that the FEF and LigaPro will catch up on payments "as soon as possible." In the case of the Federation, the referee details that there have been debts for some years. In addition, they have not been paid for their work in the 2022 Ecuador Cup. In that tournament, Amboya was working as VAR. The Professional League owe payments, among others, for matches that were played with VAR, including the finals between Aucas and Barcelona SC. “If they don't pay us, it's hard to feel supported. When you work, the least you expect is to be paid. We feel uncomfortable knowing that there is no commitment to keep everything up to date”, says Amboya.
According to Jaime Jativa, general secretary of the Association of Professional Referees, several of his colleagues have not received their salaries since 2018. Some quit refereeing. Others look for methods to generate resources. Although the ADAFP sent a letter on 29 December 2022 to the FEF, requesting a meeting to resolve the payments, that meeting has not been held so far. They were waiting for the Ordinary Congress to take place. During the Congress, which took place on January 31 in Guayaquil, Egas admitted a debt with the Referee Associations, which exceeds USD 1.8 million. The truth is that there is a general malaise on the part of all referees towards both institutions, due to the constant delays in payments. "It is a complicated situation. We need the money. There are families that depend on us. In addition, we have a multidisciplinary team of nutritionists, physical trainers and instructors who also work for free”, says Amboya. She was appointed by FIFA to the Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, which will be played from July 20 to August 20 of this year. Amboya will be one of the tournament's 55 assistant referees and the only Ecuadorian. “It is a joy because it has been a four-year job, where I have prepared myself in the best way, leaving everything aside, including the family“. Amboya has sacrificed her time with her daughters and her loved ones to train and stay in peak condition. She did not hide her happiness at having been ratified for the competition and, at the same time, she admitted that she feels a "great responsibility" to represent the country in the best way.
Source: Primicias
