Florencia Marcó, after the postponement of the trial for sexual abuse against Jorge Martínez: “At Boca they do this because they know they are guilty”

“At Boca they know they are guilty of what is happening and therefore they do this. It’s their modus operandi: delay everything“, says Florencia Marcó, who reported that the club’s former women’s football coach, Jorge Martínez, had sexually harassed and abused her since the beginning of 2022. The sentence of the oral trial that began on Friday would be made known on Monday, but the lawyer de Martínez challenged the judge Sergio Paduczak for alleged irregularities in the trial.

“The truth is that I didn’t expect it, today I expected to hear that they would condemn him, but when you think about it, it is the strategy that Boca uses to defend abusers, and this maneuver leaves him exposed – says Marcó to Clarion-. I’m calm, I’m sure the judge will sentence him. What happens is that there is complicity between the kids and the institution.“.

Marcó is 36 years old and started working at Boca in the press area 12 years ago. In 2022 she took care of the communication of women’s football and from there, she says, they began Martínez’s harassment and abuse. Chassis He spoke about it countless times with club officials. and a report was made to the Department for Inclusion and Equality, but nothing helped to get the DT removed from office. This happened when Marco reported him to court in March 2023.

“A maneuver to impose fear”

The oral trial began on Friday. For five hours they declared 14 witnesses, of which 11 with a dependent relationship with the club. “They only told lies,” he assured Clarion Andrea Lucangioli, Marco’s lawyer.

The sentence was supposed to be pronounced on Monday, but Martínez’s lawyer, Ángel Romero, lodged an appeal against the judge: “He distanced himself from his role by asking witnesses countless induced questions,” he said. Romero, who is a lawyer for the anti-abortion Celeste party and the Mas Vida association-, which is prohibited by the criminal procedure code.”

According to Romero, the contested judge “guided the witnesses with their questions, so that they could affirm that there was physical contact, when 13 of the 15 witnesses stated that they were not present or who have not seen such contact.”

“Boca has always defended the attacker. And with this maneuver he wants to continue to impose fear so that no one reports anything“says Marco. The club gave her leave without pay. Martínez, he assures, also had a permit, but continues to receive his salary.

Marcó continues to be an employee of the club and, she says, is undergoing psychological treatment following the harassment and abuse she suffered: “I live off my savings. The only thing I want is for this phase to be over, for him to be convicted and for me to move on with my life.“.

“I won’t continue at Boca. I can’t be part of such a wicked institution. who didn’t even call me to check on me for a year. And with what they are doing now they invite me to leave, “says Marcó. But yes, he says, he trusts in justice:” I have seen the light in justice and I am sure that it will be right. Sometimes it gets difficult and you think you have to get off the train, because the processes are long, but it’s worth it, because when justice comes you live again“.

“I want to continue dedicating myself to communication, and now also to help women not to go through these situations. The truth is that in football there are many men who treat you well, with respect and have a gender perspective. I had a problem with this man, and there was a pact of chivalry to protect him, but not all football environments are like this“concludes Marco.

Neither Marcó nor his lawyer are plaintiffs in the case. It is in the hands of the Oral Prosecutor’s Office No. 22, directed by Marcelo Martínez Burgos. And it will be Judge Patricia Cusmanich, of the Oral Court n. 22, to decide the situation of Judge Paduczak. You have 48 hours.