UV Green Booters’ skipper baffled over red card in Cesafi collegiate football match

Why the red card? This is the question that still perplexes Kenneth John Vargas, team captain of the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Booters, four days after he was given a red card by a referee during a game that resulted to a commotion between his team and the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Kicking Panthers. | CONTRIBUTED PHOTO 

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Kenneth John Vargas, team captain of the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Booters, is still perplexed about the red card that he received from the game’s referee days after the unfortunate incident between his team and the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Kicking Panthers in last Saturday’s, October 26, 2019, Cesafi collegiate football match

“Na-red card ko pero wala gyud ko’y abot. Naa ra ko didto sa pikas goal nagtindog-tindog ra gyud ko, kami kauban sa depensa sa USPF pero ako’y gi-red card nag bisa’g kuhit lang wala gyud ko ka-gunit,” said Vargas.

(I got a red card but I never had anything to do with the commotion. I was just standing at the other goal together with a USPF defender but I was the one who got a red card when I didn’t even do as much as poke or touch anyone.)

With 15 minutes left in their match, a commotion erupted between the two teams which saw three USPF players getting a red card and two from UV, Vargas being one of them.

The referee’s decision also caused UV head coach Alex Ballesteros to decide not to let his players continue playing in the match until he gets an explanation of the sanctions handed out.

It was Vargas’ first ever red card since he started playing football.

He has been Cesafi collegiate football’s top scorer for three straight years from 2016 to 2018.

Vargas narrated that when the commotion happened in the middle of the field, he was just standing near the USPF goal together with a USPF defender and goalkeeper, whom he said was standing behind him.

When things settled, the referee called them all to hand out the cards.

To his surprise, Vargas was handed a red card.

He approached the center referee to ask for clarification but he was told to immediately leave the field and go up the stands because he has been red carded.

Vargas then approached the linesman to ask him why he was given a red card.

The linesman said he was given a red card because he had thrown a punch.

Vargas said he wanted to protest but not wanting to cause more trouble, he decided to follow the referee’s instruction and went up the stands.

But what Vargas is most worried about is where he will get the P5,000 sanction fee.

Aside from a one game suspension, an ejected player will have to pay a sanction fee of P5,000 and serve four hours of community service according to Cesafi rules.

Vargas clarified that he indeed approached the USPF players but only after the commotion.

He said he talked to them because some of them used to be his teammates in Mindanao.

Vargas hopes that everything will be resolved and that somehow his red card will be lifted.

His coach, Ballesteros, is also in danger of getting banned for life from the Cesafi for abandoning the match.

The incident will still be deliberated pending the submission of reports from the referee and tournament director to Cesafi commissioner Boy Tiukinhoy. / celr