A Panamanian player, Luís Moreno, has caused an uproar and faces severe punishment after kicking an owl which was lying on the pitch during a Colombian championship match at the weekend. Video footage showed that the bird was first struck by the ball near the Pereira penalty area during the match at Atlético Junior, prompting the referee to stop play.
As the referee and players discussed what to do, the Pereira defender Moreno – apparently impatient over the delay, as his team were losing 2-1 – was seen to kick the bird towards the touchline with his left foot.
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"The player should be severely punished for this painful, horrible act of intolerance," Ramón Jesurum, the president of the Colombian league, said in a radio interview. He added that the case would go before the league's disciplinary committee.
Atlético Junior fans chanted "murderer" at the Panamanian player, according to Colombian media. Moreno was also reprimanded by opponents and he apologised after the game. "I apologise to the fans, it wasn't my intention," he said, as he left the field escorted by radio reporters and police. Colombian media said the owl had been rescued by ground staff and taken to a vet. Its condition was reported to be serious.
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