Thirty minutes before the referee of the BetPlay League match between Millonarios and Once Caldas whistled the start of the game, last Tuesday, October 13, at the Nemesio Camacho El Campín stadium in Bogotá, The Major Division of Colombian Soccer (Dimayor) made the decision to cancel the match, ensuring that the state of the field was deplorable.
And although it is expected that the league match will take place on October 17 without problems, the Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO investigated and established which company is in charge of carrying out the maintenance of the El Campín grass and what contracts it has had in other key sports fields in the country.
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They evaluate sanctions
Image of the state of the El Campín field. Photo:Social networks
What is known so far is that, after the cancellation of the match, the mayor of Bogotá, Carlos Fernando Galán, asked the District Institute of Recreation and Sports (IDRD) to initiate a process for possible non-compliance against Sencia, the company responsible for the administration, operation and maintenance of the stage. regarding maintaining the stadium grass.
“Since September 22, the auditor’s office requested information on the procedures for removing, reinstalling and recovering the grass. Although Sencia provided a schedule on September 26, “The final conditions of the terrain showed adhesion problems with the new grass that prevented the sporting event from taking place.”explained the IDRD in a statement.
And from Sencia, after offering apologies to the fans for the inconvenience, they assured that measures will be adopted to respond to those who attended the stadium. In addition, they explained that after the last concert – by the Korean band BTS – they worked to ensure that the conditions were in place for the match to take place: “However, understand, accept and abide by the decisions of the authorities in this regard.”
This newspaper established that, although Sencia is in charge of the administration of El Campín, The firm Equiver SAS has been in charge of grass maintenance for more than 10 years.
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Owners and contracts in Bogotá
The resolution of the award of one of the contracts between the IDRD and Equiver SAS. Photo:Private file
According to documents, Equiver SAS is a firm created in July 1994 in Bogotá, dedicated to the construction of engineering works. civil, landscaping activities and maintenance services and completion and finishing of buildings.
By 2026, according to records to which this newspaper had access, the company reports assets of 17,365 million pesos and income of 8,264 million pesos. And it is based in the municipality of Cota (Cundinamarca), in the Siberia sector.
As manager and shareholder, with 60 percent participation, appears Juan Carlos Salamanca López, while the rest of the shares are held by his wife, Lida Inés Villamizar Barreto.
“It is not true that Sencia is a shareholder in that firm,” said a local authority and that is how it appears in papers.
The Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO investigated and established that the firm has had contracts with the IDRD of Bogotá since at least May 2012.
For that year, the company was contracted for 1,043 million pesos in an abbreviated selection process of a smaller amount for comprehensive maintenance, preventive and corrective of sports fields in natural grass and synthetic grass, located in the different parks managed by the IDRD in Bogotá DC, with supply of elements, supplies, personnel, and machinery.
In fact, the company had at least 7 other contracts with similar objects until 2022.
And in July 2023 it was contracted for 624 million pesos for the recovery, maintenance and sustainability of the technical conditions of the fields. of professional soccer games located in the Nemesio Camacho El Campín, Metropolitano de Techo, Campincito and Olaya Herrera stadiums in the city of Bogotá.
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Barranquilla and the INDER of Medellín
The firm is also in charge of the sports spaces at the Barranquilla stadium. Photo:Barranquilla mayor’s office
The Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO investigated and established that Equiver SAS also signed a contract, in May 2025, with the Barranquilla Urban Development Company and the Caribe SA Region, for 569 million pesos for the maintenance of the natural grass competition surfaces of the sports venues in that city.
And, in June 2018, they had already signed another for 8 billion pesos with the Institute of Sports and Recreation of Medellín (INDER). for construction works, adaptation and maintenance of synthetic grass fields in 7 communes of the city.
Even in December 2022 they signed another with the Cali Sports Secretariat, for 948 million pesos, to strengthen the city’s sports and recreational venues.
EL TIEMPO contacted the Equiver SAS telephone subscriber to ask them about the cancellation of this Tuesday’s match due to the poor condition of the playing field. The The executive who responded stated that she would agree with manager Juan Carlos Salamanca, who at the time of going to press had not responded to messages.
Now, the IDRD will ask Sencia to review the performance of the next musical shows, scheduled for October 24 and 31, respectively, in order to allow the recovery of the grass.
And IDRD sanctions are expected.
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT
u.investigativa@eltiempo.com
@UinvestigativaET
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