FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono has been handed a 12-match suspension for the challenge on Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel. The decision was made by the Disciplinary Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation and represents the maximum sanction provided for the offence in question.
The collision occurred in stoppage time of the Spanish Segunda División match between Tenerife and Andorra. Owono went into a challenge for the ball with his leg raised high and struck De Miguel. The striker received medical attention on the pitch, was carried off on a stretcher and taken to hospital, where he died the following day.
Referee Manuel Ángel Pérez Hernández stated in his report that the goalkeeper had used excessive force in the challenge. Based on this report, the disciplinary body classified the action as serious misconduct and imposed a 12-match suspension.
The decision is separate from the Spanish police investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Jesús de Miguel. The sporting sanction does not constitute a judicial finding of guilt, but concerns the violation of football regulations.
Following the tragic incident, Owono said that these were “the hardest days of my life”. The goalkeeper added that he felt immense pain over De Miguel’s death and would accept the consequences of what had happened with the necessary respect.
The disciplinary committee’s decision may be appealed to the Appeals Committee within 10 days. Until a decision is reached on any potential appeal, the suspension remains in force.
The match between Tenerife and Andorra itself was abandoned after the incident at 2:2. The Spanish federation subsequently declared it finished at that score, without the remaining minutes being played.
Sources: rtve.es, elpais.com