Jesus Owono has broken his silence. Andorra has released his first official statement since the death of Jesus de Miguel. These are not the usual phrases of a press release, but the words of a 24-year-old who is struggling to process what has happened. “These are the most difficult days of my life. I have difficulty finding words and it is really difficult to process what has happened.” That fatal moment has remained etched in his mind: the collision so hard that it caused his opponent to go into cardiac arrest. At 8:00 am on November 3, he was told the tragic news that had come out of the hospital’s intensive care unit. Now he must live with this reality: a colleague has died after a collision with him.
"I feel an extraordinary pain for the loss of Jesus. My thoughts are with him, with his family and with all the people who loved him". He does not talk about the investigation and the consequences it may have in criminal terms, except for the sporting one. He does not talk about the Police and the reconstruction of those moments, which is now in the hands of investigators. He does not talk about the protocol, the ambulance that was left outside the stadium or the defibrillator. He does not say anything about these issues. On social networks, many people have already condemned him. But the most severe judgment is the one he makes on himself. "I know that there will be many issues to be addressed and I will face them with the utmost respect - he added. - But, at this moment, honestly, I can't think of anything other than Jesus and the pain we are experiencing".
This is the sentence that matters most. Other issues will come and he already feels their weight. The investigation has been opened, but now he can't think of anything else. Andorra demands sensitivity and respect. And he has the right to demand this. Because in these days Owono has become, for many people, just the accused who should be sent to the guillotine. But this cannot be the only way to see a much more complex event. Owono is the goalkeeper who saw a colleague die on the field and who, perhaps, will one day return to football. He will have to continue living with the weight of those moments on his conscience. "Rest in peace, Jesus." There is nothing more to add. There is nothing more to ask for.
