By Chris Wright
Miguel Angel Ayza Gamez, i.e, the referee who sent Cristiano Ronaldo off for softly molesting the face of Athletic Bilbao’s Carlos Gurpegi on Sunday evening, has reportedly been banned for one month and is in danger of being demoted from officiating in Spain’s top flight as a result of the debatable decision.
Ronaldo was hit with a three-match ban for the straight red (which Real Madrid are in the process of appealing against) but it seems that Gamez is to receive and altogether more substantial punishment for his decision to administer it.
According to radio station Cadena Cope, Spain’s refereeing technical committee have dropped Gamez for a month and will not be appointed to oversee any further Real Madrid matches until at least the end of the season.
They’re even suggesting that he may be relegated from La Liga’s list of match officials – which all seems a little on the harsh side, but hey ho.