The controversy surrounding referee Katia Itzel García continues to grow and has now taken a disciplinary turn, after the possibility arose that she could be sanctioned for giving an interview in which she spoke openly about her expulsion of coach Sergio Bueno.
It all began when referee Francisco Chacón published on his X account that his colleague could be punished for making statements to a media outlet about what happened with the coach.
What does the regulation say?
According to the regulation of the Mexican Football Federation, referees must avoid making public comments that could be interpreted as an affront, direct criticism, or contempt for players, coaches, or managers.
In this case, the referee explained that the coach "crossed the line of respect," thus justifying the red card shown during the match between Pumas and Mazatlán, which could be considered a violation of this guideline.
This point is key, as it opens the door to a possible administrative sanction, as referees usually maintain an institutional and reserved stance after matches precisely to avoid this type of media controversy.
Will there be a punishment?
So far, there is no confirmed official punishment.
The Disciplinary Committee has initiated an investigation, but it focuses mainly on the events that occurred during the match and on the coach's alleged comments towards the referee, rather than on the words she gave to a media outlet.
The case is still under analysis and could set an important precedent in Mexican football, especially regarding the public communication of referees and the limits that the regulation sets for their statements off the field.
