BOGOTA, (Reuters) – A Colombian footballer who plays for a club under investigation for possible match-fixing said yesterday he feared for his life after receiving death threats.
Jorge Duvan Mosquera plays for Llaneros, a second-tier side that lost 2-1 at home on Saturday to Union Magdalena.
Union scored twice in stoppage time to secure promotion to the Colombian first division but the winning goal appeared to show some Llaneros players backing off their opponents and allowing them to score.
Mosquera denied there was any corruption or match-fixing but said he and his team mates were nevertheless under threat.
“We are receiving intimidating messages and death threats,” the 23-year old defensive midfielder said in a twitter message addressed to Colombian President Ivan Duque.
“My team mates and I are afraid for our lives, we are afraid to go outside in case something happens to us on the street. Please, make a call for prudence.”
His appeal came the day after league organisers announced an investigation nL1N2SR1Z8 into the suspicious events. Law enforcement have also been asked to carry out their own inquiry into what President Duque termed “a national embarrassment.”
The threat of violence is not new to Colombian football.
Colombia defender Andres Escobar was shot dead in 1994 after scoring an own goal in the World Cup finals and the Colombian championship was suspended in 1989 after referee Jorge Ortega was killed on the orders of the Medellin drug cartel.
Union issued a statement yesterday, rejecting any suggestion that their promotion was achieved through untoward acts. Llaneros said it welcomed an independent inquiry and would undertake its own investigation.
