Ana Guevara, president of the Mexican Sports Commission (CONADE), is currently under investigation by the Mexican Secretariat of the Civil Service (SPF) over alleged extortion, per Infobae. According to the report, Guevara’s accounts have been subject to inspection for several months now following a series of columns published by El Universal journalist Peniley Ramirez.
The alleged extortion reportedly involves CONADE’s Administrative Assistant Director Jose Omar Hernandez and CONADE’s Assistant Director-General Sergio Monroy. The party of three is accused of allegedly extorting over 50,000 Mexican pesos (an estimated $ 2,233 USD).
Guevara, Hernandez and Monroy also face criminal charges over an alleged illicit association, bribery and for reportedly falsifying official documents, among others.
Just a few weeks ago, per Mexican outlet MedioTiempo, two lawyers working on the case against Guevara – Jesus Chain Oceguera and Rafael Sanchez Cano – were arrested on charges of the alleged murder and enforced disappearance of Edgar Alvarez Flores, a former police officer in the municipality of Veracruz.
According to the report, Guevara accused both lawyers of bribing CONADE to file criminal charges against the head of the organization.
Guevara’s connection to the Mexican Swimming Federation (FMN) dates back to late February and early March of this year when several synchronized swimmers accused Mexico’s national synchronized swimming head coach Adriana Loftus of alleged abuse and corruption.
Some athletes were also critical of Loftus appointing her husband, Alberto Calderon, as Mexico’s team psychologist for the 2017 FINA World Championships. Those accusations further alleged that rather than traveling with the nation’s assistant coach, Loftus appointed her husband as the national team companion.
The Mexican federation has run into several major controversies under Kiril Todorov’s administration, including falsifying entry times for the 2015 World Championships, a suspension by FINA for withdrawing from its hosting duties at the 2017 World Championships, and the replacement of the country’s entire technical staff earlier this year after late-2018 disputes.
Todorov has run into several discrepancies with Mexican Sports Commissioner Ernesto D’Alessio and FMN Vice President Rodolfo Zarco Rodriguez.
In the months leading to what would have been this summer’s Games, the organization run by Todorov was accused of reportedly concealing its selection criteria for swimming. That document, however, did mention the standards required for diving, synchronized swimming, and open water swimming.
SwimSwam has reached out to both CONADE and the Mexican Swimming Federation for comment, but has not yet received a response from either.