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Ecuador's former goalkeeper becomes sports minister

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-25 10:05

QUITO - Ecuador's President Rafael Correa on Tuesday swore in Jose Francisco Cevallos as the South American country's new sports minister.

Cevallos, former goalkeeper of the national soccer team, was sworn in as minister in a ceremony held in government's Carondelet Palace in Quito in full attendance of cabinet ministers and Ecuador's top sportsmen.

Cevallos is considered the best goalkeeper in the history of Ecuador and he took office one week after he announced his retirement from professional soccer after a 21-year-long career.

"Welcome to the government of the Citizen Revolution," Correa told Cevallos during the ceremony.

Cevallos, who is replacing Sandra Vela who resigned last week, said he is taking on the position as a "new challenge" in his life and offered to give all his efforts in order to fulfill the targets established by the government regarding sports.

"I trust that the discipline, perseverance and the clean game that has led me in my soccer life will be the basis for good development" in this new job, he said, adding that his work will be based "to use sports as tools of education, rehabilitation and integration of all Ecuadorians."

Correa, meanwhile, requested Cevallos to continue ongoing projects which were initiated under Vela.