Panamanian owl-killer Luis Moreno gets new seven-match ban, this time for kicking an opponent

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Luis Moreno is obviously a man with some temper issues to resolve.

Moreno, 30, a Panamanian defender who plays for Deportivo Pereira in the Colombian league, has been banned for seven matches after kicking Deportivo Cali’s Pablo Andres Escobar while Escobar was lying on the ground after being fouled.

The incident comes less than two months after Moreno sparked worldwide outrage when he kicked an injured owl that was lying near the sideline at Atletico Junior’s stadium, having been accidentally hit by the ball.

The owl, one of several that live on the roof of the Barranquilla Metropolitan Stadium, is regarded as an Atletico Junior mascot. It later died of shock, despite veterinary treatment. At the time of the February incident, Moreno claimed that ‘it wasn’t my intention to hit the animal. What I tried to do was wake it up so it could fly.’

The incident drew widespread condemnation, with fans in the stadium yelling ‘murderer’ at Moreno and several commentators calling for him to be expelled from Colombian soccer. Moreno, who was fined and banned for two games, is unlikely to claim that he was trying to wake Escobar up so that he too could fly.

ALSO:

David Beckham and Juninho suspended as discipline and goals disappear

Arsenal will soon be an American team

--Grahame L. Jones