Online racism after the death of Jesús de Miguel, Owono targeted

The death of Jesús de Miguel, the thirty‑year‑old Tenerife striker, has plunged Spanish football into mourning, while racist messages, including the phrase “Negro de mierda”, have flooded social media, unjustly targeting Andorran goalkeeper Jesús Owono.

The Tenerife striker, aged thirty, had been hospitalized after a collision with Andorran goalkeeper Jesús Owono during the match against FC Andorra on Monday evening. After the collision, Jesús de Miguel was taken on a stretcher.

FC Andorra posted on its social media that it was “shattered and defeated” and offered its condolences to the victim’s family. The group left Tenerife around eight p.m., flew to Barcelona and then continued the journey by bus to Andorra, during which Jesús Owono remained visibly very affected. Technical director Jaume Nogués and a member of the medical staff kept in touch with Tenerife to monitor De Miguel’s health condition.

Online attacks and identity confusion

The tributes paid to the victim were accompanied by online attacks. Messages containing the phrase “Negro de mierda” circulated on social media. The Andorran goalkeeper disabled his Instagram account after receiving these abusive messages.

Michel Owono, player for CF Can Vidalet, testified about the harassment he endures despite having no connection to the match. He issued a statement denouncing the racist threats and insults received due to confusion with the goalkeeper. He said “I am not Jesús Owono and I have no connection to what happened,” according to Cadena SER.

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His surname alone was enough for internet users to target him without verifying his identity. His testimony shows that the attacks go far beyond simple comments on a football action. Skin colour itself becomes a reason for insult.

This identity confusion reveals the lack of discernment by the perpetrators, but does not justify that the remarks would be acceptable if they were addressed to the player involved. Mourning does not justify racism or threats. De Miguel’s death demands the respect owed to his loved ones and a thorough investigation. The Spanish police have opened an inquiry and the judiciary has been involved.

This procedure does not constitute a conclusion on Jesús Owono’s criminal liability. The accusations posted on social media cannot serve as a judgment. Michel Owono began his message with condolences to the striker’s family before having to defend himself from being mistaken for someone else. A player unrelated to the match finds himself having to justify his identity in the face of racist threats.

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Public reactions

His statement documents these violences without reproducing the insults or further spreading them. According to Spanish media, goalkeeper Jesús Owono was found “shouting and praying” in the locker room after the match. Spectators at the Heliodoro stadium in Tenerife allegedly shouted “murderer” at him.

Investigation and legal consequences

The disciplinary code of the Spanish Football Federation provides for suspensions of four to twelve matches for violent acts causing serious injuries. The Spanish police have launched an investigation, with the prosecutor’s office involved, and the decision to prosecute will depend on the determination of fault. The chief prosecutor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, José Luis Sánchez-Jáuregui, considered it very unlikely that criminal proceedings would be initiated, the collision being the result of a play situation. He reminded that sport does not place itself above the law.