FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono has received a 12-match suspension following the collision that preceded the death of Tenerife forward Jesus de Miguel.
The decision is a major development in a case that has shaken Spanish football, although a separate police investigation is still ongoing.
The Spanish football federation's disciplinary committee announced the suspension on Friday, 11 days after the second-division match was abandoned. Owono had been sent off during the game after leaving his area to challenge for a long ball near the halfway line.
However, the sporting ruling does not bring the wider case to a close. Police proceedings into the circumstances surrounding De Miguel's death are continuing under judicial supervision, according to AFP.
Owono's future in football also remains uncertain after FC Andorra coach Carles Manso confirmed that the goalkeeper would decide when, or whether, he returns.
Why has Jesus Owono received a 12-match ban?
The disciplinary committee based its decision on the referee's report, which described the incident as a violent strike to an opponent's chest with the leg, involving excessive force while the ball was in play.
It said the 12-match suspension was the maximum punishment available for the conduct recorded in the report. The committee also referred to the tragic outcome of the incident, which resulted in the death of Jesus de Miguel Alameda.
The collision happened on November 2. With the score at 2-2 and seven minutes of stoppage time played, Owono came out of his area to clear an aerial ball but collided with De Miguel. The Tenerife forward received treatment on the pitch before being taken to hospital.
The match was subsequently abandoned. De Miguel, 30, was admitted to intensive care but died on November 3. Striver Football previously reported on the Spanish police investigation into Jesus de Miguel's death.
What happens next for Jesus Owono and the investigation?
Owono has withdrawn from Equatorial Guinea's squad for this month's Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Zimbabwe. In a statement released by Andorra, the 25-year-old described the period as the "hardest days of my life."
The goalkeeper has also faced considerable public scrutiny since the collision. Reuters reported that he deactivated his Instagram account after receiving abusive messages. Manso has since said the club will give Owono the time and space he needs.
The manager made clear that the decision about returning to football rests with the goalkeeper, so there is currently no confirmed date for his return beyond the suspension itself.
Meanwhile, Tenerife held a memorial for De Miguel on Saturday, following his funeral, which was attended by around 400 mourners. For now, the position is clear on the disciplinary side: Owono has received the maximum 12-match suspension reported by the committee.
The separate judicial investigation continues, while the goalkeeper has yet to decide what comes next in his playing career.
