Source:REUTERS/Ana Beltran
[Saba Sports News] According to Spanish media reports, the Spanish Technical Committee of Referees has decided to suspend VAR referee Juan Luis Pulido Santana from his duties over his recent remarks on the podcast Rogue Cast. The committee has barred him from participating in any matches this weekend, whether as the lead VAR referee or assistant VAR. Juan Luis’s comments angered the Technical Committee of Referees, prompting it to take strict action. The referee explicitly stated that he denies any form of direct manipulation in the Negreira case, but emphasized that the incident has caused severe reputational damage to the committee. In the interview, the VAR referee launched a fierce attack on videos produced by Real Madrid TV. He argued that these videos are intended to denigrate the image of referees and imply before matches that officials will favor opposing teams.
The editor believes that although Juan Luis did not make radical remarks in the interview, this public statement was not officially recognized. The Technical Committee of Referees has decided to sideline him, as any public appearance or media involvement must be approved by the Football Federation or the Technical Committee of Referees.