A Mexican referee was fired after failing to show up to judge a match despite claims that he had been assaulted by a s3x worker he hired.
On October 19, referee Rosario Guadalupe Cardenas was named as the fourth official in a match between Monterrey and Tigres during the Apertura Tournament.
On the day of the match, Mexico’s referees authority announced Cardenas’ replacement for a’medical reason’.
Ismael Lopez replaced Cardenas, and Ximena Marquez Ruíz took over as the VAR official.
Two days later, the firm began an internal investigation, claiming that it will ‘clarify all the details relating to this occurrence’. Former Mexican referee Francisco Chacon later alleged that Cardenas, 27, was unable to attend the match owing to injuries received when being attacked by a sex worker he had hired.
“It turns out that Mr. Rosario Cardenas decided to hire a companion one day before the game,’ said Chacon, who officiated international matches between 2009 and 2017.
“He took her to his hotel where he was staying, and there he was drugged and assaulted, which is why he did not make it to his game.
“That was the “medical reason”‘.
The Mexican refereeing panel announced Cardenas’ dismissal on December 4 following an internal review.
The organization did not disclose any additional information about the situation, but determined that his actions were sufficient grounds for dismissal.
“The Referees Commission reports that it completed a detailed internal investigation, which began on October 21, in order to clarify the details related to the incident in which referee Rosario Guadalupe Cárdenas was involved, on October 19, prior to the day 12 of the 2024 Apertura Tournament,” a statement read.
“In order to guarantee transparency and compliance with the corresponding protocols, this Commission informs that as a conclusion to the investigation, it has decided to terminate the contract of the cited arbitrator for non-compliance with the Arbitration Rules.”
According to Mexican publication Record, the official was deemed to have broken the Mexican Football Federation’s ‘ethical and professional values’, while a source stated that an inquiry into Cardenas’ assault by a sex worker is still ongoing.
“We were informed that this matter went through the FMF’s legal department, which violated the internal regulations and the ethical and professional values of the FMF,’ a source told the newspaper.
“I know that there is a legal issue going on, which is being processed, to determine whether or not that was the case with the referee.
“But beyond that, Rosario was informed internally that for the organisation and the FMF itself, the referee did not fulfil his responsibility due to indiscipline and that determined that they thank him.”
