FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono has been suspended for 12 matches by the Spanish Football Federation’s disciplinary committee after his protest led to the death of Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel.
Owono, 25, was sent off after colliding with De Miguel during the closing stages of the second division match between their two respective teams on November 2.
De Miguel died the next day, at the age of 30.
The disciplinary committee indicated that it had to base its decision “on the facts expressly recorded in the referee’s report”, according to which the player “was sent off for having ‘violently struck an opponent in the chest with his leg, using excessive force, while the ball was in play’.
“The tragic outcome of the incident, which resulted in the death of Jesus de Miguel Alameda, is public knowledge.”
The commission added that “the nature of the behavior described and the accompanying circumstances” mean that “the maximum sanction, a 12-match suspension, is justified.”
Furthermore, the federation decided that the match between the two teams, interrupted seven minutes after the start of added time at the time of the incident, would not be replayed.
“This avoids having to restart the game from the precise moment when the tragic incident occurred,” the press release said.
The teams then drew 2-2 and that result now stands, with a federation committee saying it was “the most respectful course of action, given the extraordinary and tragic circumstances of this matter.”
The Owono club released a statement on behalf of the goalkeeper on November 4, in which he said he was experiencing “the most difficult days” of his life and felt “tremendous pain” following De Miguel’s death.
On Thursday, FC Andorra manager Carles Manso said Equatorial Guinea international Owono had not yet decided whether he would return to football after the incident.
Manso said Owono was currently spending time with his family and was “completely free to make any decision” regarding a possible return, adding: “What we need to do is support him in every way and be close to him.
“We will give him space so that he feels completely free to make any decision, if he wants to come back, when or if he doesn’t want to come back.
“When he feels it’s appropriate and when he really feels ready to make a decision like that (he will).”
Gn sports
