The administration of the international soccer academies linked to the Argentine Football Association (AFA) ended up at the center of controversy after it was revealed who is in charge of the business.
According to Clarín, the person responsible for managing that scheme is Roberto Domínguez, a businessman who was part of the left-wing terrorist group Montoneros during the 1970s, and who was also imprisoned during the last military dictatorship.
According to the information released, the expansion of the soccer academies abroad was driven by the president of AFA, Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia, together with the treasurer of the organization, Pablo Toviggino. Based on that initiative, Domínguez manages a structure that extends across at least 14 countries and that has been consolidated as one of the main sources of income linked to the Argentine soccer brand outside the country.
Chiqui Tapia y Pablo Toviggino.
The businessman also concentrates other major businesses. He is the owner of Servicios y Transacciones Bank (BST), an institution that was raided as part of an investigation into alleged money laundering linked to financier Ariel Vallejo and his operations with AFA through the financial firm Sur Finanzas. Meanwhile, Domínguez also took part, together with his partner Pablo Peralta, in the purchase of the Mercedes-Benz subsidiary in Argentina.
The control of the academies allows Domínguez to run a business with a large economic volume, although without detailed figures reflected in AFA's official financial statements. This situation is part of the review being carried out by the Office of the Inspector General of Justice (IGJ) of the accounting documentation of the organization headed by Tapia.
In AFA's institutional communications, the international academies project is presented as a training and educational initiative. On its website, the Viamonte Street organization states: "The academies and schools of Argentine soccer are spaces for comprehensive development, based on the values and official methodology of the Argentina National Team. With coaches certified by AFA Internacional, they guarantee technical, tactical, and professional development, adapted to different ages and levels of play".
Roberto Domínguez.
There are currently 14 soccer training centers operating abroad. The facilities are distributed across different countries, including the United States, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Canada, Morocco, and Colombia, as part of the strategy to internationalize the AFA brand and the sports model associated with the Argentina National Team.
The scheme includes the participation of children and adolescents between six and 18 years of age. The monthly fee is around 150 dollars, although the amount may vary depending on the country where each academy operates.
