Tepatitlán forward suspended for 11 games after shoving referee

A player for Tepatitlán FC faces the end of his Torneo Apertura 2026 season after the Mexican Football Federation’s Disciplinary Commission imposed an 11-game suspension on Tuesday. The sanction stems from a physical altercation with referee Lizzet Amairany García Olvera that occurred during a match against Cancún FC last Friday.

The punishment effectively removes the forward from the remainder of the current tournament. The league is currently investigating several players for involvement in illegal betting, a factor that may weigh on how the suspension is perceived within the club. The Disciplinary Commission broke down the 11 games into three distinct infractions to justify the severity of the total ban.

The player received one game of suspension for receiving his second yellow card of the match. An additional three games were added for using vulgar language and displaying offensive, insulting, and humiliating behavior toward the central referee. The remaining seven games were assigned for the act of physical violence committed on the field.

The incident took place at the 58th minute of the game between Tepatitlán FC and Cancún FC. The forward, who was already carrying one yellow card, challenged a call made by García Olvera. The referee issued the second card to send him off. After leaving the pitch, the player returned to the field and approached the referee in an aggressive manner before shoving her and walking toward the tunnel.

The physical contact triggered immediate criticism across social media and national sports media. The Referees Commission issued a public statement expressing full support and protection for García Olvera following the on-field aggression. The league emphasized that aggression against match officials carries a high cost in Mexican football.

The player offered a public apology through his club’s official channels in the days following the match. Despite the apology, the Disciplinary Commission applied the regulations strictly. The final decision sends a message to the football community that physical confrontations with referees will be met with heavy, structured penalties rather than informal resolutions.