Death of Jesús de Miguel: What Could Jesús Owono Face After an Investigation Opens?

Spanish police are investigating the death of Jesús de Miguel, which followed a collision with Equatorial Guinean goalkeeper Jesús Owono during Tenerife–Andorra. The automatic opening of an investigation into a death with no natural cause does not establish Owono’s criminal responsibility. Spanish law provides for one to four years in prison for grossly negligent homicide, with a possible three-to-six-year professional ban if professional negligence is proven; less serious negligence can result in a fine. Spanish football authorities will separately review the red card and the circumstances of the collision, as the death does not automatically determine a suspension or mean a lifetime ban.