Mexican referee Fernando Hernandez has been suspended for 12 Games after kneeing a footballer in the groin during America’s encounter on Sunday against Leon.
Referee Fernando Hernandez kneed Leon’s Lucas Romero after he and his teammates annoyingly requested a video assistant referee check following America’s equaliser in 2-2 share of the spoils.
The statement reads: “Mr. Fernando Hernández Gómez, central referee of the match, is penalized by the Disciplinary Commission with a 12-match suspension, for violating Article 30 Paragraph G of the FMF Sanctions Regulations, by engaging in violent conduct against a player”.
Romero was also handed a two-game ban for his angry reaction that led to the incident.
Hernandez has afterwards tendered an apology for his reaction in the second half of the encounter, he said: “To the fans and public in general, I offer an apology, as well as to Romero, for my reaction,”
“I would never attack him or any other player. I am aware of this and I will abide by the decision of the Disciplinary Commission.”
Leon’s Lucas Romero stated after the encounter that he had not demanded for Hernandez to be penalized and that it had been a misunderstanding.
In an interview with Mexican media outlet, TUDN, Romero said: “Obviously referees are human beings, many times they can make mistakes and those mistakes end up developing what happened, a lot of misunderstandings.”
Leon and America are third and fourth respectively in the Mexican League table and the hot clash also resulted in the head coaches of both teams getting sent off whilst the game was ongoing.
Their dismissal was due to the head coach of Leon, Nicolas Larcamon and Fernando Ortiz of CF America clashing with each other in the technical area.
Pictures of Leon manager Larcamon with his shirt ripped up after fighting with the America bench went around on social media after the game and both managers have been issued two-match suspensions each.
Leon are 8 time champions of the Liga MX and they last won the league title in the 2020/21 campaign. The side tutored by Nicolas Larcamon have gotten back to winning ways as they thumped Violette AC on Wednesday by 5-0 in the CONCACAF Champions League.
Their return to competitive action in the Liga MX would see them welcome Cruz Azul to the Estadio Leon (Nou camp), León de los Aldamas.
CF America are 14 time champions of the Liga MX and they return to the pitch to battle against league leaders Monterrey. Monterrey are 10 points ahead of America and that encounter should be a classic showdown as well.
Both managers would be unavailable for their team’s incoming game after their embarrassing display in the 2-2 draw.
Fernandez Hernandez dished out six yellow cards in the game alongside brandishing red cards to Fernando Ortiz and Nicolas Larcamon in an incident embroiled game.
Hernandez, 39, has been a professional referee for 20 years. He would not take part in any refereeing duty for the remainder of the 2023 Clausura in addition to part of the 2023 Apertura which would commence in the summer.
