Andrés Otero: "We had discussions with the former minister Duco because we had different visions of how to understand sports management"

Andrés Otero: “We had discussions with the former minister Duco because we had different visions of how to understand sports management” The former undersecretary of Sports is back as general manager of the Tennis Federation, his place in the world, he confesses. Two months after his departure from government, he addresses his tense relationship with the former ammunition manufacturer for the bullet and details his objectives in this return to the Fetech. Andrés Otero (45 years old) is relieved. During several parts of this interview he will say that he found his place in the world in tennis after a break of five months and two days during which he assumed the position of undersecretary of Sports for the second time, now in the government of President José Antonio Kast. However, things did not turn out as expected and he had to leave the position along with Minister Natalia Duco. For the first time since that abrupt goodbye, he addresses the details of his time at the Mindep and his return to the Fetech. How did he return to the Federation? When I left the Ministry, many people from tennis called me to show solidarity with me. They asked me if I would like to return and I said of course I would, but we had to analyze it. At that time there was a president who could not be constituted and was challenged. I was not going to work with him. But later Juan Bugueño assumed the board that exists and we talked. They asked me to help with the Davis Cup, something I did with pleasure and pro bono, and there I began to realize that tennis was my place in the world. Later, the board defined it and since October 1st I am formally back. What is his objective in this new stage? To continue advancing development plans; for the Federation to be the home of all Chilean tennis players. Under my management, the Federation began to finance players, tours, and support them for the first time; that it not be an individual or family effort. Tennis is very solitary and I want to continue changing that logic with the support of the current board so that everyone feels that the Federation is their home and that everyone is part of that development. Let's not forget that tennis is the most successful sport in the history of our country and not everyone knows that. What is his opinion on the crisis that occurred during the brief period of Milovan Kegevic? As undersecretary I always stayed very on the sidelines, I was very respectful of the bond I had with the Federation, but everything looked very painful. Because when we talk about leaders who reach the Federation falsifying university degrees, we go back to the time when tennis was news for negative things. In the eight years of the Sergio Elías board, where I was part of it with great pride, the Federation was only making news for positive things, and I believe that one of the first tasks I will have as manager is to reposition the brand Chilean Tennis Federation as a place where there is good news. We have a huge job. Has he been able to speak with Kegevic? No, but in July he sent me a WhatsApp message where he sends me the publication of a note in a medium called Onda Expansiva, which I later learned was from Mr. Eduardo Arévalo, and where there were accusations against the previous administration and he says to me: “Hello Andrés, have a nice day”. I was perplexed by that message, I don't understand what he wanted to tell me with that, and later, when I returned to the Federation a couple of weeks ago, it struck me that there was an invoice from a production company for 1,800,000 pesos plus VAT for that feature article. I did not reply to the message and I have no interest in talking to him. Will he take legal action? That is in my lawyer's hands, but I will take the legal actions that correspond because my name and my career have been mishandled here. I always say the same thing: my only asset is my impeccable career of many years in the sport. Everyone who knows knows my management both in tennis and in the Undersecretary of Sports. Also in football they know what I have done for Chilean sports. I will file the lawsuits personally, financed by me, but I am interested that this does not remain unpunished. He is accused of conflicts of interest and alleged irregularities... I was very careful, I have many years of experience in public administration and I am clear about the scope and responsibilities, and in that sense I left a record that I would abstain from the entire electoral process of the Federation and from everything related to it, even regarding the preparation of budgets, for the time indicated by the regulation. And, in fact, I myself recommended to the board that an external audit be done on the Federation with an expert and prestigious company, for transparency with the tennis community and so they can see that there is nothing strange in recent years. And how did he see that stage? I saw it from afar, but with pain and concern when Kegevic won, because I know him and I know the type of leader he is. He doesn't do well with activity, he always seeks conflict and never development. When he was president of the Tennis Association of the Fifth Region and I was general manager, his topics were always that he needed more money, but never a tennis proposal. And, besides, when I see him falsifying titles, he comes to the Federation with security guards, and I see how he behaved with the staff, obviously these are things that are far from the values of the sport. And what is the eviction of the Federation headquarters? We are making all the arrangements. Mr. Kegevic must leave Cerro Colorado. He has nothing to do. Nothing is left open, Tricel made several findings and the board of Juan Bugueño is already recognized by the IND, the Mindep, and World Tennis. Kegevic is cornered, creating parallel websites and renting courts outside. He only seeks to harm tennis. How much did Nicolás Massú and the players weigh in his return to the Federation? When I reunited with the team that Sunday before the Davis Cup, in the first training session, Ale Tabilo tells me: “You're back” and gives me a hug, the same for Tomi Barrios, Christian Garin, Mati Soto, Benja Pérez, the staff... I felt that affection. I never lost contact with Nico Massú, because I have a lot of closeness, affection, friendship and we were always talking. There was a relationship... Of course. In the Chilean Davis Cup team, thanks to Nico's leadership, a family has been formed and one feels part of it. In January, against Serbia, they gave me a farewell and gave me a signed jersey from everyone. And although I didn't manage to be in any other Davis Cup, I felt that absence and that did influence. I had to leave a bit to realize that this is my place in the world. I was never happier working as I did in the Chilean Tennis Federation and today I am being fully happy. I found that here and I had not found it anywhere else in my 25 years of professional life. Was he ever happy in his time as undersecretary? I am a person who is fully happy. I did not have a good time in the Ministry for several reasons. The first thing is that I always had a doubt since I was called in in January. I was with a very great uncertainty because for me being the undersecretary of Sports is not a job, it is a privilege; a gift from the President to serve the country. And when you are invited to serve the country, it is very difficult to step back, not to mention impossible. But I was very happy in tennis. And when the series ends with Serbia, after Nico Jarry and Tomi Barrios' doubles, tears came to my eyes because I felt I was missing something very beautiful. I had that feeling. How was his relationship with the former minister Natalia Duco? We had a professional relationship, I cannot deny that we had differences in how we saw and understood sports management, but that was all. Differences. But those differences translated into strong discussions... Let's see, discussions as there are in everything. There are also discussions with people you work with. In all my jobs I have had discussions with my bosses and my subordinates and I think discussions help build. Yes, we had discussions with the former minister Duco, but I insist, they had to to do with our different ways of understanding sports management. How important are the ways when leading a ministry? The ways are very important when leading any task of greater responsibility. For me, the ways are not something negotiable, I believe that one always has to have good treatment, positive leadership, empower the teams... That is my way of being and that is how I see it. Did the minister have mistreatment? Because within the Mindep there was a lot of talk about how she related to people. I speak for myself and with the minister we had a professional relationship, where we had those differences I mentioned and in that sense the discussions were always in the search to build and reach agreements. Was the breaking point produced by Lorena Castillo's departure? I would not call it the breaking point. For me Lorena Castillo, and I always said it, was doing a good job as national director and has always done a very good job as DAF, and of course we had a discrepancy with the minister. Obviously, she was the minister and was making a decision that I respected, but I expressed that I did not agree. What can he say about the controversy over the use of the fiscal car that ended with his departure and that of the former minister? I prefer not to refer to that topic... Why? Because I think that a lot has been said about that topic and I prefer to stay on the sidelines. And how was the moment of his departure? On August 13th I was at home, I had just put my one-year-old daughter to sleep when the President calls me. I answer and he asks for the resignation. Of course I did not ask for any explanation or anything because he is the President and I don't miss that; on the contrary, I am infinitely grateful to President Kast. He gave me one of the greatest privileges of my life, which was to serve my country. I will always be at the disposal of the government of President Kast to help and for him to move forward with what an immense majority of Chile voted for. I simply said “thank you, President, for this great opportunity you gave me”. Why did he not go to La Moneda? I did not go because I had to go home earlier for a logistical matter with my daughter. And I at home try not to contaminate myself or watch the news. I only watch series with my wife, I watch a lot of football, tennis. I was about to go to bed when the President called me... Was it surprising to you or did he expect it? It was a little surprising... Did he be able to talk to the President afterward? No, the truth is no. But the President does not question his decisions. Yes, many people from the government called me, colleagues undersecretaries, officials, many athletes... The amount of athletes who called me and gave me their support filled my heart. Was it a relief to leave the Undersecretaryship? I don't know if it was a relief, but I was living a more or less intense personal issue during those days and I felt I had more time for my daughters, my wife and for myself. It made me much calmer because I was able to do things that seem absurd. For example, I went to see Católica against Estudiantes at the Claro Arena without the need to check my cell phone in case something happened. Those kinds of things always generate a relief, but I would say that the greatest relief was when I started working again in the Tennis Federation, my place in the world. Does he regret it? For me the easiest thing would be to say that I regret what happened in these six months. And no, I am not a person who regrets things. Nor do I feel that I made a mistake in accepting to work in the government. Because when the President of the Republic asks you to serve the country, one cannot help but take the path because it is a service to the country. I did the same with President Sebastián Piñera eight years ago. It was not a mistake, but I did realize that tennis was my place in the world. It is where I want to be and where I want to leave my soul for the growth of this sport. What self-criticism does he have of that period? I have always been very critical of myself. So much so that sometimes that self-criticism ends up being even self-flagellating. But everything is still very recent. Only two months have passed and the time to make a deeper evaluation will come when he has had the necessary time and distance to process what was lived. Being undersecretary and having had the honor of serving Chile from the sport on two occasions is the greatest privilege I have received in my professional life. With time will come the analyses, the reflections, the self-criticisms and above all the lessons. What did he think of Natalia Duco's return to government? It is a decision that the President makes, which I respect, and the only thing I can do is wish the best of success to the former minister Duco, because her success will be the success of the country. Would he accept a political position again? I am not a person who closes doors with locks nor opens the door in an exact match. I always leave the door ajar for everything. But today I need to be in tennis and resolve many open fronts regarding the governance crisis of the last three months. Does he consider his departure unjust? The President asked him and when he asks it is for the greater good of the country, and one works for the country. I have a very good relationship with Minister Riveros and Undersecretary Ríos, whom I know from school. I told both of them to count on me and they are doing a very good job. Furthermore, I will thank the minister for his whole life because he was one of the first people who wrote to congratulate me when I returned to tennis. And I do not miss it: being a government authority is not a job, it is a service that is a privilege. Whoever understands it as a job is wrong. That is why these positions are always at the President's disposal.