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2 clusters · 5 sources · 3 days · First seen · Last updated

South American football refereeing controversies

Overview

In mid-October 2026, referee appointments for upcoming football matches in South America drew scrutiny. In Bolivia, the Bolivian Football Federation selected Gabriel Mendoza to officiate the match between The Strongest and Always Ready. This selection followed FIFA recommendations regarding consecutive matches for specific clubs, which rendered other top-rated referees unavailable.

By October 17, the appointment of Mendoza sparked controversy. Critics pointed to his limited activity this season and a previous incident involving a disputed goal in a match between Bolívar and Always Ready, which had resulted in a temporary suspension by the federation.

Parallel discussions emerged in Peru, where the appointment of Kevin Ortega to officiate FBC Melgar against Deportivo Garcilaso faced scrutiny due to Melgar’s poor performance record in matches overseen by Ortega.

Entities

The Strongest · Gabriel Mendoza · FBC Melgar · Kevin Ortega · Bolivian Football Federation

Timeline

  1. [SPORTS] 2 sources
    Referee appointments spark debate in Bolivian and Peruvian football

    Referee appointments for high-stakes matches in Bolivia and Peru have drawn scrutiny due to past controversies and disciplinary records.

  2. [SPORTS] 3 sources
    Football referees appointed for key matches in Bolivia and South America

    Referee Gabriel Mendoza will officiate the The Strongest vs. Always Ready match in Bolivia, while Uruguayan Gustavo Tejera has been appointed to lead the Estudiantes vs. Flamengo rematch.

Sources

diez.bo · dobleamarilla.com.ar · eldia.com.ar · late.com.bo · losandes.com.pe