Corruption isn't just about money

There is no more tolerant job than being a professional football referee in México. They can keep on failing constantly at their work, apply the regulations poorly, be proven to be incompetent and yet they keep assigning them matches round after round.

This season's last straw happened during the last round, and now that changes are coming to Mexico, it would be a good idea that the new director of the National Commission of Physical Culture and Sports (CONADE) implemented in Mexico's football something similar to what has been done in Spain , where the National Audience authorized an anti-corruption investigation into the most powerful league in the world.

Corruption

isn't just about being paid to do something for the one paying you, it's also about moving influences, a fact that has caused a terrible damage to football refereeing in Mexico.

No one knows for certain; what's more, I'm convinced referees don't make mistakes because money is involved, but it is undeniable and incomprehensible how they can keep terrible referees and that we get to see them season after season.

The match of Monterrey vs Pumas is worthy of a serious investigation because even if we know of the incompetence, lack of training, and poor judgement of the referees – who regularly make mistakes against both sides – in this occasion, the appalling refereeing was evident when it came to the moves or plays in favor, or against, the Pumas. No one is making up stories, the video of the match is there and you can see how Érick Yair Miranda doesn't dare eject Avilés Hurtado for a flagrant foul, the annulled goal of Nicolás Castillo, the very obvious holding of Stefan Medina, and the unfair ejection of Abraham González.

Chivas insulted the hand that feeds it

Could it be that this season, full of mistakes against the Pumas, is part of the payback for that Instagram post uploaded by Nicolás Castillo, showing Alfredo Peñaloza with a clown face emoji?

This could be a matter worthy of being investigated by an anti-corruption committee because – even though – the Chilean made a mistake in posting that, even if he erased it, it gives the impression that referees have a long memory; and if this is the case, then we're talking about a guild that has shown money isn't the only thing capable of corrupting human beings.

We'll always have mistakes in football but it's implausible that a referee like Luis Enrique Santander, who in a final match failed to award a penalty kick to the Tigres, spends almost a year without refereeing at their matches, and when he does, he makes a mistake again and fails to signal an evident foul in the area. Coincidence or trend.

It's time to get rid of the useless and to give a chance to those coming from below. There are many referees in Mexico, not only those we keep seeing every week.

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