Spanish Police Probe Soccer Death

Spanish National Police have opened a formal investigation into the death of 30-year-old soccer player Jesús de Miguel, who died hours after a collision with an opposing goalkeeper during a match in Tenerife.

The incident occurred on Monday at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium during a game between Club Deportivo Tenerife and Andorra. De Miguel suffered a heavy impact to the head from Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono while contesting a loose ball in the final minutes. He was transported to the Hospital Nuestra Señora de La Candelaria, where he died shortly after arriving.

The provincial police station confirmed that the case is now under judicial supervision. Sources from the Canary Islands Superior Court of Justice explained that any death not caused by natural means requires an automatic opening of a judicial inquiry.

José Luis Sánchez-Jáuregui, the chief prosecutor for Santa Cruz de Tenerife, told EFE that opening a criminal process appears "very difficult" at this stage. He noted that long-standing Supreme Court doctrine holds that injuries sustained during sporting events are generally not punishable unless an aggressive act occurs during a pause in play.

Sánchez-Jáuregui stated that investigators will first review the referee's official match report. The decision will then depend on the ruling of the Sports Disciplinary Committee, which must determine if the play was dangerous or very dangerous and whether Owono intended to cause harm with his strike.

If the player's family disagrees with the committee's conclusions, they may file a complaint for alleged assault resulting in death. The prosecutor explained that such a case would likely be classified as negligent homicide, a non-intentional act similar to a fall caused by a push. He emphasized that the legal outcome will hinge on whether the strike was deemed an accidental part of the game or an act of force.