MEXICO CITY (AP) Mexican sports fans are mourning a weekend without soccer because referees refused to officiate at games in protest of the Mexican league’s decision not to impose tougher punishments on two players who shoved officials.
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In the words of Sunday’s headline in the sports newspaper Record: “We are going to miss you!”
Last week a player for Club Toluca shoved a referee after an expulsion, and a player for the America squad appeared to head-butt another referee after a call.
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The referees reported both players for “aggression”, which could have led to them being banned for a year.
But the league’s disciplinary committee punished them with eight- and 10-match suspensions for the lesser offense of “attempted aggression.”