Mexico City /
The Mexican Tennis Federation announced on Wednesday the cancellation of a youth tournament that was taking place in an area ravaged by insecurity in the center of the country, after 10 underage players and their coach were virtually kidnapped.
The tournament Juniors 30the lowest category endorsed by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) was held in the city of Irapuato, in the state of Guanajuato.
The 10 players and their coachoriginally from the neighboring state of Querétaro, They are already in their homesreported the Mexican Federation.
“The Mexican Federation has been on the lookout, accompanying the safety of our players and collaborating closely with municipal, state and federal authorities since we were informed of the events,” the organization said in a statement.
Permanently canceled ❌
Among the rumors whether the tournament continues or not, the @FMTmex reiterates the cancellation of the ITF J30 in Irapuato after 10 players and a coach were deprived of their freedom this morning pic.twitter.com/efQkAXJG5v
— Iván Aguilar (@ivabianconero) October 30, 2024
The Secretariat of Security and Peace of the state of Guanajuato reported that in a hotel in Irapuato One adult, six women and four men were locatedall minors and members of a tennis team.
The agency indicated that when the tennis players were rescued They were still in contact with the extortionist. They assured that everyone is in good health.
In addition to the Irapuato competition, Mexico hosts two other ITF Junior tournaments, one in San Luis Potosí and another in the State of Mexico. Both are of higher category.
The details of the crime that was allegedly attempted with the young people are not clear. In Mexico, a scheme in which, with deception or threats, victims are ordered to move to a certain place and turn off their mobile phones is known as virtual kidnapping.
While people are “disappeared”, the perpetrator of the hoax usually communicates with their relatives, to extort them and demand a ransom.
According to a report from the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System, Guanajuato ranked first in the country in terms of violent crimes during the first nine months of this year.
