A massive corruption scandal has been exposed in Honduran football after referees in the Northern Zone raised serious allegations of bribery to help teams win championships.
The linesman, Omar Leiva, was the one who revealed in Radio Internacional’s Panorama Deportivo program, with evidence in hand of the bribe attempt that was the object, and pointed directly to the chairman of the referees, Oscar Velasquez who was his partner in the tripleta that led the game of the suitcase with dollars.
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‘I’m sorry, because brave referees keep quiet. This decision was not easy what I am doing. I ask colleagues to approve something. I put myself in danger because I have not accepted $ 10,000 in a soccer game, $ 5,000 for the chairman of the arbitration board and $ 5,000 for Omar Leiva and the evidence is here, ”he said bluntly.
Say names? They urged Leiva and he revealed it: “Óscar Velásquez (the current chairman of the arbitration board was one of the other five thousand). They left me $ 10,000 at my house. I told them I couldn’t receive it and I had the courage to turn it down, ‘he complained.
“This is a delicate thing, but if you don’t have a tail, step on and you have the proof. Why be afraid? I have proof that my kids saw and watched that money as I paid back that money. That is the legacy I leave to arbitration. That’s the problem in this country, we’re afraid. Football is like politics, the referees don’t want those who are on the referees committee, they don’t allow us to burn ties, ”said Leiva.
THE LAST MATCH
Leiva’s complaint is that representatives of one of the teams that took part in the Clausura 2013 final in Tocoa, Colón, who played Real Sociedad against Real España, offered them the $ 10 thousand that triggered this scandal.
For several years now, referees love Gaspar Molina now retired and Mario Moncada, already off the track, have revealed some anomalies in the whistles and some game fixes, but they never presented the tests like Omar Leiva did today.
Then they kept asking him. What game was it for? “I am focused on a very important game. They call me from a phone of a friend of mine, a former classmate, I pick up because he’s my friend and I’m picking up because I registered it. It happens to the X person and he says to me, Omar Leiva, notice that I need at least a tie, ”reveals the Honduran flag bearer.
He continues: “It is a great final between Real España and Real Sociedad there in Tocoa. You have heard that this decision was made by me and my family. I know the risk of running and my family, have no fear. There are colleagues who called me, physical trainers, former colleagues of the referee committee, active referees. Do not be afraid. It’s hard for you to get evidence and they close the doors, ”he told him.
That grand final was in May 2013 when Real Spain became champion on penalties. Leiva continues to clarify the attempt at bribery. “I am focused on my colleagues, they called me and I told them; Gentlemen excuse me, I cannot accept these things, I just do my job, I am a professional, I do not accept them, but I will not influence them either. They said, Okay, you don’t want your family and they cut me off. This is serious, ”said the linesman.
THE INSISTENCE OF VELÁSQUEZ IN DIFFERENT CALLS
Leiva denounced and left evidence that if anything happens to him or his family, the evidence of the complaint is already in hand and he pointed out those responsible. He confirms that Velásquez called him the days after the game to inform him of a request left for him at the home of the now member of the refereeing committee of the Honduran Football Association.
“Then I called my wife and my kids and told them to leave the house. Maybe this is how the Disciplinary Commission does something. I’m in a big game and have my family so … this isn’t easy. They left the money in my house, ”the Honduran referee said, crying. He exhausts strength and continues: “On Monday that I come after the final, I will pick up my family in a safe place. This is what people who don’t know about arbitration don’t know what they’re doing with the San Pedro Sula subsidiary arbitrators, ”he noted.
“I took that money on Monday when I came back, the money they left and I went looking for my friend who they used and I spoke to his dad and I told him he exposed me and I got this money on him return. It was $ 10,000, 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 bring it back after the finale.
Leiva did not want to involve his two remaining companions of the quartet, who whistled that match under the leadership of Melvin Matamoros as principal and Erick Andino as fourth.
“That’s what I understand. The referee for that match was Melvin Matamoros, the fourth was Erick Andino. But I testify to what happened to me, I cannot speculate about it. So I was going to drop it. “
“Unfortunately, thanks to Omar Leiva, that money has been returned in this country. What is the retaliation for me? This is a time bomb that executives and journalists know. The evidence lies in the Disciplinary Arbitration Committee, ”said Leiva, who said the evidence is in the hands of the authorities and there is still no evidence.
There is one person witness who was used and confirmed that the people who previously offered him money wanted to repair the damage they had done to him by giving him 50,000 lempiras for his honesty. ‘I told you, no gentlemen, thank you and I didn’t take it. The problem is later on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday when the assistant colleague (Óscar Velásquez) calls me and says, Omar, they left you an order at my house. He called me Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and I told him; brother, if you have dirty business then call them and they will give it to you because I returned the $ 10,000, ”he complained.
Diez sought responses from those involved, Beningo Pineda and Óscar Velásquez, but they have not responded to calls. In addition, a letter leaked yesterday from Omar Leiva, who had asked for a final farewell match, which was not answered by the refereeing committee. Leiva announced that he will never whistle in the National League again.