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Referee 'Gato' Ortiz Reportedly Threatened After Clásico Tapatío and Relocated for Safety

The Mexican federation has not confirmed the reported incident, leaving the formal response under review.

Overview

  • Sports outlets citing Claro Sports report an Atlas supporter confronted Marco Antonio “Gato” Ortiz near a convenience store, followed him to his hotel, and issued death threats after the match.
  • According to those reports, Ortiz requested protection, changed hotels, and was later moved to Toluca under security measures.
  • Chivas beat Atlas 2-1 in Guadalajara, with both Chivas goals coming from penalties that fueled disputes as Atlas also appealed for a penalty that was not awarded.
  • At the time of reporting, the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol had not issued an official statement confirming the incident or outlining any investigation.
  • Coverage places the episode within a broader pattern of threats against referees in Mexican football, referencing recent allegations by Katia Itzel García.