Ref sacked for not turning up - he was 'assaulted by sex worker he hired'

A Mexican referee has been sacked from his role after failing to turn up to officiate a match in October, amid reports he had sustained injuries after being assaulted by a sex worker he had hired.

Referee Rosario Guadalupe Cardenas had been appointed to serve as the fourth official in a match between Monterrey and Tigres in the Apertura Tournament on October 19.

Mexico's refereeing commission announced on the day of the match that Cardenas had been replaced due to a 'medical reason'.

Cardenas was replaced in the role by Ismael Lopez, with Ximena Marquez Ruíz installed as the VAR official.

The organisation launched an internal investigation two days later, stating it would 'clarify all the details related to this incident'.

Former Mexican referee Francisco Chacon later stated that Cardenas, 27, had failed to attend the match due to injuries sustained after being attacked by a sex worker he had hired.

'It turns out that Mr. Rosario Cardenas decided to hire a companion one day before the game,' said Chacon, who officiated international matches between 2009 and 2017.

'He took her to his hotel where he was staying, and there he was drugged and assaulted, which is why he did not make it to his game.

'That was the "medical reason"'.

The Mexican refereeing commission confirmed Cardenas' sacking on December 4 following the internal investigation.

The organisation did not provide further details around the circumstances, but deemed his conduct worthy of dismissal.

‘The Referees Commission reports that it completed a detailed internal investigation, which began on October 21, in order to clarify the details related to the incident in which referee Rosario Guadalupe Cárdenas was involved, on October 19, prior to the day 12 of the 2024 Apertura Tournament,' a statement read.

‘In order to guarantee transparency and compliance with the corresponding protocols, this Commission informs that as a conclusion to the investigation it has decided to terminate the contract of the cited arbitrator for non-compliance with the Arbitration Rules.’

Mexican newspaper Record reported the official had been found to have violated the 'ethical and professional values' of Mexican Football Federation, with a source stating an investigation remains ongoing into the reports Cardenas had been assaulted by a sex worker.

'We were informed that this matter went through the FMF's legal department, which violated the internal regulations and the ethical and professional values of the FMF,' a source told the newspaper.

'I know that there is a legal issue going on, which is being processed, to determine whether or not that was the case with the referee.

'But beyond that, Rosario was informed internally that for the organisation and the FMF itself the referee did not fulfill his responsibility due to indiscipline and that determined that they thank him.'

Cardenas had been yet to officiate in the Mexican top flight, but the official had worked his way through the refereeing ranks in recent years.

He had officiated at Under-20 and Under-23 level before refereeing matches in the second tier of Mexican football.