Spanish Prosecutors Confirm Criminal Charges Against Ovono in Jesús de Miguel Death Case Are Unlikely - Thairath English

Spanish prosecutors confirm that the chance of pursuing criminal charges against Ovono in the collision case causing Jesús de Miguel's death is difficult.

On 4 Nov 2026 GMT+7, developments emerged in Spain's football world after Jesús de Miguel, a 30-year-old forward for Tenerife, died from cardiac arrest following a violent collision with Jesús Ovono, goalkeeper for FC Andorra, during a Segunda División match. Spanish prosecutors commented that criminal proceedings against Ovono could be difficult after the National Police opened an investigation into the footballer's death, now under court supervision.

José Luis Sánchez-Haregui, chief prosecutor in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, told EFE news agency that it is highly unlikely criminal proceedings will be initiated against Ovono, since the collision occurred during normal football play and was not a case of assaulting an opponent during a game stoppage.

The prosecutor explained that under Spanish law and longstanding Supreme Court rulings, injuries sustained during sports competitions are generally not considered criminal offenses unless there is intent to harm the opponent during a pause in the game.

However, the outcome depends on reviewing the referee's report and the sports disciplinary committee's decision. The key issue is whether the incident constituted dangerous or excessively violent play, and whether Ovono intended to harm his opponent or if it was merely a contested play for the ball.

If de Miguel's family disagrees with the sports disciplinary conclusions, they can petition authorities to investigate the case as an assault causing death. The chief prosecutor noted that if the case enters the justice system, it would likely be treated as involuntary manslaughter rather than intentional murder.

Sánchez-Haregui gave an example of a case where a person pushes another, causing them to fall and fatally hit their head, without intent to kill but due to negligence.

The prosecutor emphasized that football allows contact but does not permit violent collisions beyond acceptable limits. For instance, intentionally elbowing an opponent during a game stoppage to cause injury like a broken tooth would clearly be criminal conduct.

Meanwhile, relevant authorities are awaiting further investigation results to determine whether the collision between Ovono and de Miguel was a mere accident within the competition or reckless and dangerously negligent play.