Fair referee, unfair referee!

And here we go again. Three days have passed since Club América’s bicampeonato, and unbelievably, the news is still about the refereeing and the controversial penalty that decided the final.

Let’s start with something; the decision is controversial and sparks debate. Of that, we have no doubt. However, debates lead us to opposite poles, as not even the refereeing experts have managed to agree. Some believe it was rightly sanctioned, while others disagree. As for the fans, the preference for the team they support is even more evident; some see a clear foul by Rotondi on Israel Reyes, while others even speak of robbery.

And this is where I’ll pause, because debate is healthy; it’s part of the game and sport itself. It’s completely valid to have different opinions, and it’s a good exercise to be able to articulate your arguments to defend your position. Furthermore, when it comes to matters of interpretation like the penalty awarded in favor of Club América.

But there’s a very thin line, and this time it has been crossed. Well, to tell the truth, it’s been crossed for a while now, and no one is doing anything about it. On the contrary, more and more people are joining a radical movement that questions the honorability and ethics of football in our country.

Nowadays, with incredible ease, people talk about robberies, fixed matches, and suggest that a team has the power to influence referees in their favor. This seems serious to me. Firstly, I find it very concerning that communicators, colleagues, journalists, influencers, or however we want to call anyone with the ability to reach a large audience, express themselves so lightly and without a shred of evidence.

Unfortunately, this discourse has been well received by a large majority of fans. When did we lose journalistic rigor, when did we lose investigation, ethics, and the responsibility to speak the truth?

And with this, I’m not asserting anything definitively, but I find it incredible that such serious accusations can be made against an industry that generates millions and millions of dollars, interests, and above all, the feelings of an entire country.

If there is evidence that América has been benefited by refereeing voluntarily and premeditatedly, then it’s time to present it. It’s time for these accusations to be substantiated, and then the allegations will carry weight.

It’s difficult to think it’s like that. Club América has gone through significant crises, and during those times, did the refereeing decide not to help them? Or why don’t we look closer to home? Just a few days ago, in the first leg of the final, Henry Martin was stepped on in the box, and the referee decided not to award a penalty. Wouldn’t it be easier, if the intention is to help América, to call those plays?

How can we forget the final against Rayados in 2018, where América had a goal illegally disallowed and a penalty not given, which ultimately the referee himself and the Refereeing Commission confirmed was a mistake?

I’m not here to defend América, although it might seem that way. I’m here to defend, and seek to defend, the Mexican football industry.

It’s true, in this sport, there are many interests. Many things influence this sport; money in favor of clubs, broadcasting rights, sponsors, not to mention the Mexican National Team, where it’s clear that the well-being of a few businessmen has been prioritized over the team’s sporting performance.

Of course, many things have been done wrong in Mexican football, and of course, there are deals between promoters, deals with executives, mismanagement of resources, and many other issues that definitely need to be addressed. It would be impossible for me to assert that there hasn’t been some level of corruption in the industry.

Removing promotion and relegation is a clear sign of mismanagement for the benefit of a few owners, as it protects teams from losing their status.

Having said that and making it clear that Mexican football is not a perfect example and there are certainly many issues to correct, I am convinced that refereeing is not one of the main concerns today.

 

Mexican refereeing is not bad, nor is it poorly regarded around the world. In the last World Cup, César Arturo Ramos was a semifinalist referee, and in various international tournaments, Mexican referees always have a presence. They make mistakes, but so do referees in Germany, England, Spain, Brazil, and in all leagues around the world. The referee can make mistakes in favor of or against a team, and that’s what happened in this final with ‘Gato’ Ortíz. Since it’s a play that several days later still doesn’t have everyone in agreement and is interpretive, it’s impossible to talk about a robbery or a planned call to affect Cruz Azul and benefit América.

The referee had reasons. He had elements to call in favor of América. If he hadn’t done so, there were surely also elements to defend his decision. What I mean by this is that this play was correctly sanctioned by the referee. In case of doubt, the rulebook says to stick with the initial decision, the one you saw in real time and firsthand.

As if that weren’t enough, today there has been a significant, very significant, leap in the search for transparency by publishing the VAR audios, which are not edited and allow for the complete hearing of curses and conversations inside the booth. The clear evidence that they are trying to be as open as possible is that in the audios of this final, one of the referees was not in favor of calling a penalty.

I repeat, it’s difficult to change the perspective of the fan. It’s even more difficult to change the way of thinking when in a country we are accustomed to living day and night with situations of corruption, deception, irregular handling of resources, and many other problems that are a constant in the country. Why wouldn’t it be the same in our football?

Let’s wrap up this comment by simply inviting people to have a little more trust in our football. Encouraging people to have fun and enjoy the sport more. In the end, this is a game and a distraction. I’m sure your team has had decisions go in their favor and will have decisions go against them. And no, the system isn’t biased against your team; it’s just that referees and human eyes will never be perfect.

For now, América is pulling ahead of its rivals in titles, and everyone is closing ranks to prepare for the Copa América. You can now bet on your favorites for this international tournament at www.mexplay.mx

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