Don’t Mention The Sex Lives Of Female Refs If You Enjoy Employment

By: chris | April 14th, 2008

Refs take a ton of abuse on a weekly basis, and I can only imagine what is said behind closed doors after the game. Luckily for us Uruguayan striker Mario Leguizamon, on the books of Peruvian champs Deportivo San Martin at the time, voiced his concerns and opinions on the air waves in a post-game interview. Just not luckily for him, because his contract was shredded the next day for surmising the female ref who sent him off was “unsatisfied sexually”. Cue bedlam. Clearly the world needs more Peruvian football coverage.

It all started with a simple sending off from female ref Silvia Reyes, for what we don’t know (surprisingly Peruvian game reports are a tough find in English – who knew?), and a quick shower for Mario. San Martin still won the game 2-0, but Mario’s postgame comments were less than favorable towards Silvia (this is her).

The league suspended him for a month without his big Peruvian footballing cheque immediately afterward and there was an outcry from all types of peanut galleries (I’m guessing a bunch of feminist outfits moved their annual gatherings to Leguizamon’s front lawn). Mario apologized and all that jazz, saying it was in the “heat of the moment” (something Silvia apparently doesn’t get enough of), but it wasn’t enough, and late last week San Martin canceled his contract and sent him on his merry way back to Uruguay.

“San Martin expresses solidarity (with Reyes) not just because she is a lady but also because she is the authority in control of the match and therefore deserves obedience and respect……..Leguizamon is leaving because he damaged our image in the eyes of the public.”

Of course, not helping matters was Leguizamon using his brief soap box moment to monologue endlessly, also putting forth his thoughts on the status of Peruvian football:

“It’s reality. How long has it been since Peru went to the World Cup? How long is it since Peru won anything?”

If you’re looking for sympathizers in Peru, that’s probably not the best way to go about it. (Just a little fyi.) So Mario’s now unemployed and the world knows sexism is not tolerated in Peruvian football. Still no answer on Silvia’s sex life, though.