Pro ShotsSergio Canales
NOS Voetbal•vandaag, 17:52
Sergio Canales so disagreed with a red card he received in October 2022 that he even challenged his punishment outside the beaten track in football before a Spanish civil judge. Today, fourteen months later, he ruled that the former Real Betis player was innocent and acquitted him.
As a result, Canales does not have to pay a fine of more than 600 euros and his three-match suspension has been canceled. The 32-year-old Spanish midfielder, who now plays in the Mexican league, served one of those three match suspensions. The remainder of the sentence was suspended pending trial.
Precedent effect
In Spain it is thought that the ruling could have a precedent. After Canales’ success, other footballers may also go to civil court to challenge a questionable red card.
The case was a matter of principle for Canales. The footballer reacts relieved in Spanish media. “My behavior towards referees has been exemplary both on and off the field. I have always shown maximum respect.”
In the Netherlands
In the Netherlands too, football players can challenge a punishment from the KNVB disciplinary committee in the ordinary court. This happened, for example, in 2018. An amateur football player from Bennekom was suspended for 18 months for allegedly hitting a Huizen player on the head after a match.
According to the footballer, there had been no excessive violence, as the KNVB had judged. The preliminary relief judge agreed with the football association. The fact that only the referee made a statement that was against the footballer was not sufficient reason for the court to decide that the punishment was unacceptable.
Canales received his red card from Antonio Mateu Lahoz, best known in the Netherlands as the referee who refereed the quarter-final between the Dutch team and Argentina at the World Cup in Qatar. In the match between Betis and Cadiz, Lahoz gave two yellow cards to Canales in the space of a few seconds for protesting.
It was the first red card in his career for Canales, who became a professional footballer in 2008. “The red card was premeditated and not part of the game,” the midfielder said earlier. “I told the referee I didn’t want to talk to him to avoid problems.”
“I’m glad that justice has now been done,” Canales said. “My conscience has always been clear.”
2023-12-27 16:52:43
#Ordinary #judge #waives #Spanish #footballers #red #card #precedent
