Argentina is trying to put things in order after an upset loss to Saudi Arabia to open their 2022 FIFA World Cup. News from back home is not helping matters much as one of the players on the national team could be kicked out of the World Cup if a lawyer has her way.
Raquel Hermida Leyenda, the defense attorney of a young woman identified as “Camila” pressed charges in 2020 on now Atlanta United midfielder Thiago Almada for sexual abuse. According to Leyenda, “Camila” was invited to a private party in the lavish San Isidro neighborhood of Buenos Aires where the lawyer states, Almada and “Camila” were in a room when two other men entered and abused “Camila” sexually.
The other two men are identified as a former Velez teammate Brizuela (only last name provided), and a coach known as Delvene Acuña. Leyenda is working hard to contact FIFA and have the 21-year-old MLS newcomer of the year be expelled from the tournament due to the abuse case.
Statement made by abuse lawyer on Thiago Almada
According to El Trece in Argentina, Leyenda stated, “My partners are figuring out how to get a petition to Qatar as quickly as possible. There are a lot of players who were banned from entering Qatar. Thiago Almada is there freely”.
Leyenda continued, “My studio is preparing (the petition) today. We are seeing that it not only reaches FIFA at an international level, but that it reaches the Qatar division directly. They are honestly laughing. This means that our country cares very little about sexual abuse and femicide, unfortunately.”
“I think this girl was very lucky because she was only gang abused, see what I’m telling you. If she didn’t go with a friend that night and if the friend didn’t call 911 and if they didn’t run out of that house, they could both be dead.”
The Argentine national team has yet to address the matter, the incident is reported to have occurred in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.