AFE to request that rule preventing players from criticising referees is scraped after Sergio Canales decision

Last week, it was confirmed that Real Betis’ Sergio Canales has been banned for four La Liga matches after comments he made about a red card he received from Antonio Mateu Lahoz earlier this season.

As a result, Canales missed Betis’ narrow defeat to Atletico Madrid on Sunday, although the Court of Arbitration for Sport have now suspended the 32-year-old’s ban temporarily, while the legal process is explored.

While that take place, the Association for Spanish footballers (AFE) have issued a statement in which they have requested that the rule, article 99 of the Disciplinary Code, which sees players banned for criticising referees is scraped, as per Diario AS.

“It does not adequately distinguish between opinion and qualification. It is different to accuse for prevarication than to express something for the right to opinion that any person has, as established by the Spanish Constitution. It is part of the pluralism that must prevail in any democratic society.

“That the Ordinary Justice grants precautionary suspensions of sanctions, as in the case of Sergio Canales, footballer for Real Betis, highlights the serious consequences that any player, including clubs, can suffer in the exercise of their professional activity if finally the sanction is less than that adopted in the first instance or even annulled.”

Valencia captain Jose Gaya was hit with a four-match ban for a similar incident last season, and it appears that the majority of La Liga players have had enough of the situation.