San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Football in Honduras is laced with new forms of corruption after the former referee Omar Leivadisclosed attempts at bribery that was the topic a few years ago.
Two days after his controversial rulings, the linesman reported this Friday that he decided to leave Honduras after Thursday afternoon, received death threats after his allegations.
“What was seen coming, I live it first hand, so I made the decision to leave the country for my own safety and yesterday I received very strong threats. A black truck ran over me,” Omar Leivar said in a statement. statement provided. to the program Panorama Deportivo on Radio Internacional.
The assistant referee gave details of the threat he received and said he fears for his life and that of his family.
“I looked at death. They lowered the glass and the occupants told me, put this garbage and they left quickly, I felt death, but God was protecting me right now, I live because God is great and me with my family has kept. ”, he indicated.
Leiva did not hide the pain caused by having to leave his relatives and the territory of Honduras.
“For our own safety, I cannot say wherever I go it hurts to leave my loved ones. Leave this career in my country, but everything falls under its own weight. They exposed me more than I already was I’m just telling them they will be flagged, have dignity and resign, stop this “.
Finally, the linesman invited his fellow referees to report the corruption.
“I invite the referees who know things and have evidence to stop this. Just say, our life and that of my family is in danger, I put on the brave backpack. Armed people grabbed them by the neck in the changing rooms, they just lowered their heads, enough is enough “, said.
Complaint
Omar Leiva’s complaint is that people from one of the teams that took part in the 2013-2014 Apertura Final in Tocoa, Colón, Real Sociedad against Real España, they were offered $ 10,000.
“I’m focused on my colleagues, they called me on my phone and I said, ‘Gentlemen, excuse me, I can’t accept these things, I’m just going to do my job, I’m a professional. I’m not going to accept them, but I’m not going to influence them either. ‘ They said to me, ‘okay, you don’t want your family’ and they shut me up. This is serious”, The referee said Catracho.
“I took that money on Monday that I returned, the money they left, and I went to find my friend who they used and I spoke to his father and I told him, he exposed me and I have come to return this money . It was 10 thousand dollars, five thousand for the engineer Óscar Velásquez and five thousand for me. Thank goodness I had the courage to call them and tell them to get him back after the final.
Leiva did not want to involve his two remaining companions of the quartet who led the game, which was led by Melvin Matamoros as the principal and Erick Andino as the fourth official.