Which Italian doesn’t know Byron Moreno, the referee that ruined the Azzurri’s 2002 World Cup campaign? Byron Moreno has now been arrested for allegedly carrying six kilograms of heroin.
According to Rainews and Cre.com.ec, the former referee couldn’t deceive security agents at John F. Kennedy airport in New York, and this is what led to his arrest. ESPNsoccernet.com indicated that the Ecuadorian has been jail without bail after federal prosecutors claimed that he had bags of drug hidden under his underwear and fastened to his body.
Meanwhile, news from Huffingtonpost.com also reported that “hard objects on the defendant’s stomach, back, and both of his legs” were felt according to a customs agent. In a complaint filed in federal court in Brooklyn, it was underlined that Byron Moreno “became visibly nervous” before being exposed with carrying 10 clear plastic bags filled with about six kilograms of heroin.
The news about Byron Moreno’s arrest is having a great effect in Italy where the ex-ref is a public enemy. Azzurri goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon had a few comments to make concerning the issue:
“I guess Moreno already had it [the heroin] in 2002. But it wasn’t in his underway, it was in his body.”
Buffon, who had to endure Italy’s unfortunate fate of controversially crashing out from the competition against co-hosts South Korea, continued:
“Putting the joke aside, when sports people get involved in drug cases, I think it means that they are scraping the bottom of the barrel. It also means that they’ve lost the real meaning of sports, which is also to save kids from the street and various dangers, like drugs.”
Byron Moreno’s case may urge FIFA to appoint better referees so as to avoid damaging the image of football around the world.
Meanwhile, news from Huffingtonpost.com also reported that “hard objects on the defendant’s stomach, back, and both of his legs” were felt according to a customs agent. In a complaint filed in federal court in Brooklyn, it was underlined that Byron Moreno “became visibly nervous” before being exposed with carrying 10 clear plastic bags filled with about six kilograms of heroin.
The news about Byron Moreno’s arrest is having a great effect in Italy where the ex-ref is a public enemy. Azzurri goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon had a few comments to make concerning the issue:
“I guess Moreno already had it [the heroin] in 2002. But it wasn’t in his underway, it was in his body.”
Buffon, who had to endure Italy’s unfortunate fate of controversially crashing out from the competition against co-hosts South Korea, continued:
“Putting the joke aside, when sports people get involved in drug cases, I think it means that they are scraping the bottom of the barrel. It also means that they’ve lost the real meaning of sports, which is also to save kids from the street and various dangers, like drugs.”
Byron Moreno’s case may urge FIFA to appoint better referees so as to avoid damaging the image of football around the world.
