Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono suspended for 12 matches after challenge on Tenerife forward

Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono has been banned for 12 matches by the Spanish Football Federation after his dismissal against Tenerife, a game followed by the death of Tenerife forward Jesus de Miguel the next day.

Owono was shown a straight red card in the closing stages of the match on 2 November after raising his leg during a challenge for the ball with De Miguel.

The Spanish Football Federation’s disciplinary committee said the suspension was the maximum permitted under the disciplinary code for the incident described in the referee’s report.

Referee Manuel Angel Perez Hernandez stated that Owono had used excessive force in the challenge. De Miguel received treatment on the pitch before being carried away on a stretcher.

The committee said Owono, whose full name is Jesus Lazaro Ferrer Owono, had been punished under article 102 of the disciplinary code, which covers violent conduct. It also took into account the consequences of the incident recorded in the referee’s report and subsequently known publicly.

“12 matches is the maximum sanction permitted by the disciplinary code for the facts contained in the referee’s report,” the committee said.

Disciplinary ruling

The committee said the referee’s report was the only document available in the disciplinary proceedings. As a result, it was required to base its decision solely on the information contained in that report.

It added that, regardless of the circumstances, it could not exceed the limit expressly set out in the article used to determine the punishment.

Owono has the right to appeal against the decision to the Spanish Football Federation’s appeals committee. Any appeal must be lodged within a maximum of 10 working days.

The disciplinary committee had delayed announcing its decision when sanctions for the 12th round of the Spanish second division were issued.

In a separate ruling, the competitions’ single judge declared the match finished as a 2-2 draw. That was the score displayed on the stadium scoreboard when the game was stopped.

The fixture between Deportivo Tenerife and Andorra was suspended after the incident involving De Miguel. The forward died the following day.

Owono’s 12-match suspension is therefore the maximum penalty available under the regulations based on the official account of the challenge, rather than a punishment extending beyond the limit set by article 102.