Real Madrid have been at odds with referees on several occasions throughout the season, and the latest episode is currently underway, as they have reported Juan Martinez Munuera – the on-field official for the victory over Osasuna – to the Competition Committee at the RFEF, citing alleged negligence after he failed to include offensive chants aimed at Vinicius Junior in his referee’s report.
Chants of “Vinicius, die” were held at El Sadar on Saturday, and Real Madrid claimed that several of their players made Munuera aware of this. They feel that the referee deliberately ignored these by not including the incidents in his report.
However, the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) have now disputed this, and have issued a statement in defence of Munuera. They say that no such complaints were made by Real Madrid players during the match, nor was one made at the full time whistle – quotes via MD.
Full statement from the CTA:
The RFEF Technical Committee of Referees would like to express its full and unconditional support for First Division referee Juan Martinez Munuera, following the unfair accusations made by Real Madrid C.F. in its complaint to the Competition Committee.
The club alludes to a series of warnings made by its players about shouts or chants by the public against their club’s No. 7 player. We must clarify that, once the audios of the match have been reviewed, no indication is heard from any Real Madrid C.F. player on this matter nor, at the end of the match, did the club delegate inform the referee of any incident related to these shouts or chants, as he is empowered by article 258, on club delegates. of the General Regulations of the RFEF.
However, the CTA would like to remind you that the referee can only include in the report those incidents that occurred before, during and after the match on the field of play or in any other place of the sports facilities or outside them, provided that he or she has witnessed the events or having been observed by any other member of the refereeing team. are communicated directly by him/her, in accordance with Article 240 of the aforementioned Regulation.
However, Real Madrid C.F. is unaware that the Referee of the match, who belongs to the Technical Committee of Referees, did reflect in his report those incidents of the public that he considered significant, fulfilling his functions as an Official Specialized in the fight against violence, racism and xenophobia granted to him by the General Regulations of the RFEF. and which is attached to this release. So that there is no doubt about this document, you can check how the reporting officer signs his report on Sunday, March 17 at 2:43 p.m. These reports are sent to the RFEF’s disciplinary body at the end of each matchday, as has been done for several seasons.
Finally, the CTA means that it is the most involved in the fight against all types of violence, racism, xenophobia and intolerance. It is one of the signatories of the Protocol against Racism in Football of March 2005, in which it undertakes to reflect all types of racist offences in which both participants and the public take part; the paralysis or momentary interruption of matches when racist, xenophobic or intolerant behaviour occurs; and the suspension of the match, exhausting the avenues aimed at ensuring that it continues to be held, when the referees consider that the racist, xenophobic or intolerant offences or conduct are extremely serious. For this reason, in 2022 it once again carried out a new protocol of action on public incidents, thus showing that it pursues and will pursue all those incidents that pose a danger, physical or moral damage to the participants.
The Technical Committee of Referees is open to lead, participate or collaborate in any initiative that the football bodies designate to combat and eradicate violence, racism, xenophobia or intolerance in our sport. Referees are the main recipients of the verbal and physical violence that occurs on all football pitches and, therefore, the most interested in expelling her from football.
