The promotion of Estudiantes de Río Cuarto to the First Division left an image that quickly went viral: the team, together with the coaching staff, celebrated with a barbecue on the playing field of the Antonio Candini stadium. The grill set up on the grass, the meat trays and the players celebrating in circles were part of the ritual chosen to crown the club’s return to the top flight after more than four decades.
But behind that festive postcard appears the figure of the president of the institution, Alicio Dagatti, a leader who combines sporting prominence with a judicial record that makes any attempt to separate football and controversy complex. Dagatti, a meat processing businessman and owner of a meat company, was arrested in December of last year accused of illicit association. The case revolves around a truck from his company that entered the Bouwer prison with drugs, alcohol, cell phones and chargers, presumably intended for inmates. The investigation led to his arrest and a judicial dispute over his freedom status.
It is not the first conflictive chapter surrounding his figure: his name has been linked to maneuvers within the Córdoba penitentiary service and to alleged participation in smuggling schemes into the prison. While the defense maintains that there is no direct evidence that implicates him in the operation, the prosecution places him as responsible for the logistics that allowed the entry of the prohibited elements.
In parallel, Estudiantes is experiencing one of the most important moments in its recent history. The team achieved a long-delayed promotion and the celebration, with the barbecue on the field, sought to condense decades of institutional effort. However, the contrast between the sporting event and the judicial situation of its president once again raised questions about the management of the club and the real scope of its influence.
Between popular enthusiasm and judicial controversy, Dagatti remains a central figure in the present Lion of the Empire. While the team enjoys its moment of glory, the president continues to fight a battle in the courts that adds tension to a promotion that, in itself, is already historic.
