Today, ESPN premiered an investigation eight years in the making.
Behind Argentina’s success as the reigning World Cup champion is a system that relies on thousands of vulnerable children. ESPN’s The Dream Factory exposes the exploitation, sexual predation and neglect that runs through Argentina’s soccer pipeline, by tracing one player’s extraordinary journey.
The multimedia presentation includes a one-hour documentary film, directed by Lyndsey Armacost, and an in-depth written report with evocative photos from inside Argentina. Steve Fainaru, the reporter on the project, spoke with Front Row:
When did you first start working on this project and where did the idea come from?
We started in 2018, following reports of rampant sexual abuse at one of Argentina’s top teams. The project was delayed for several reasons, including the pandemic, but also because of our shifting understanding of what the story was about: a pattern of exploitation, of which the abuse was a symptom.
What are some ways that your previous work experience in Latin America and your ability to speak Spanish come into play during this process?
In places like Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, I had seen numerous examples of how the global economy of pro sports can exploit the dreams of young athletes and their families. So it’s a topic I was familiar with. Spanish is helpful because it allows you to talk to people without the awkward filter of an interpreter. That breaks down a lot of barriers.
What is something you hope that readers and viewers take away from this?
Argentina is an incredible country that’s produced some of the most iconic athletes in the world. Its passion is unrivaled; as one of our sources told us, the soccer player is seen as “a sacred being.” But the system is built on thousands of vulnerable children who need to be better taken care of by the adults in charge.
EDITOR’S NOTE: ESPN.com published “The Dream Factory”. Stream the film on the App.
-
-
-
-
