FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono has been handed the maximum 12-match suspension by the Disciplinary Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) following the on-pitch collision linked to the death of Tenerife forward Jesus de Miguel.
De Miguel, 30, died after colliding with Owono during a LaLiga Hypermotion fixture on November 2. Both players went for a loose ball, and as the Andorra shot-stopper attempted to clear it, he struck De Miguel in the chest. Owono was immediately shown a red card for the incident.
Fatal Incident and Aftermath
De Miguel suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest on the pitch and, after being rushed to hospital by ambulance, passed away at 8am on November 3. A preliminary autopsy report concluded that he died from "accidental chest trauma." A police investigation has since been launched, as is standard procedure under Spanish law in cases involving deaths from non-natural causes.
The 30-year-old was laid to rest in his parents' hometown of Navahermosa, Toledo last Thursday. He is survived by his partner, Maria, and their daughter, Carla.
Disciplinary Decision
Owono, who would have faced a three-game ban regardless for violent conduct, has been given a 12-match suspension. Referee Manuel Angel Perez Hernandez stated in his match report that Owono was sent off for "making a violent impact with his leg raised high on an opponent with excessive force while the ball was in play."
The Disciplinary Committee applied Article 102 of the RFEF Disciplinary Code, which addresses violent conduct resulting in serious injury or harm to an opponent during a match. A suspension ranging from four to 12 games is linked to this rule; therefore, Owono has been handed the maximum penalty.
Club and Player Reactions
Following the incident, Owono issued a statement saying: "These are the most difficult days of my life. I struggle to find the words, and I find it very hard to process what has happened. I feel enormous pain at the loss of Jesus. I think of him, his family, and all the people who loved him. I know there will be many questions to address. I will face whatever comes with the utmost respect. But right now, honestly, I cannot think about anything other than Jesus and the pain we are experiencing. Rest in peace, Jesus."
Owono shut down his social media accounts following a barrage of online abuse. FC Andorra defender Lautaro Spatz recently backed his distressed team-mate, stating: "I would also like to say a few words about my teammate, goalkeeper and friend, who is deeply affected by what has happened. Those of us who know him are aware of the sort of person he is, how much he is suffering at this time, and that he would never have intended to harm anyone. In football, there are accidental incidents, but no one could have imagined that one of them could lead to such tragic consequences."
Club Criticism and Player's Future
Earlier on Friday, FC Andorra owner Gerard Pique slammed the RFEF for the considerable delay in confirming the punishment. He remarked: "We're travelling with FC Andorra to Almería, where we play tomorrow at 6:30 PM. I wanted to send this video, and it's meant as constructive criticism, so you can see the situation we're in right now as a club. We have three players who were suspended for various reasons on paper for the Tenerife match. One of them is Jesus Owono, then we have Efe Akman with five yellow cards, and also Lautaro de Leon, who was sent off for two yellow cards on the Tenerife match. This match took place two weeks ago. We play tomorrow, and even today, the day before the match, we have no confirmation or notification whatsoever that these players are sanctioned by the Federation. In other words, all three - Owono, Lautaro de Leon, and Efe Akman - could play tomorrow. I called the president of the RFEF to inform him of this situation and I'm waiting to hear back. We've tried every possible way, through every possible channel, to understand their situation because, of course, if they don't play this match and then tell us they could have played it, they're going to be suspended for another match. It's Friday now, we play tomorrow, and we have to get the players travelling. Obviously, Jesus Owono won't be travelling because he's not training, but Efe Akman and Lautaro de Leon are travelling with us. It's Friday, the match is tomorrow, it's been two weeks since the Tenerife game, and we don't know if these players are suspended or not because if the Federation doesn't notify us, it means they can play. We're waiting to see what happens."
While Owono has since been informed of his suspension length, it remains unclear whether the goalkeeper will ever play again. FC Andorra head coach Carles Manso opened up on the situation, saying: "What we have 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, whether he wants to return, when, or if he does not want to return. When he feels it is appropriate and when he feels genuinely ready to take a decision like that."
Meanwhile, Tenerife, who held a memorial for De Miguel at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium last weekend, have pledged to provide for his one year old daughter until she reaches 18 years of age. "We want to be there for her at least until she reaches adulthood," CEO Antonio Manuel Porro Granados told The Athletic. "This is a commitment we have made at the initiative of our majority shareholder, Rayco Garcia, and one that we all fully support. We will provide the maximum possible support in every respect, beyond what we are legally obliged to provide. We are also exploring other ways of increasing the financial support, so that, at least in material terms, the circumstances do not affect their lives quite so much -- although, of course, it is impossible for them not to have an impact."
Reports in Spain claim the family will also receive base compensation of around €360,000 (£300,000) following De Miguel's death.
