Referee, 75, dies during wrestling show in Mexico

A 75-year-old referee, Gerardo Pineda, died on 7 October during a professional wrestling show in Mineral de la Reforma, in Mexico's Hidalgo state. The event was staged in the style of lucha libre, a popular Mexican form of wrestling. A wrestler seriously injured the referee in the ring, and he died at the scene. The case has raised questions about event safety, as reports point to a lack of medical help.

What happened in the ring

According to the outlet People, citing local media, the 36-year-old wrestler José Ángel Nahera, known as "El Hijo de Fishman", performed a dangerous power move on the referee. Pineda suffered severe injuries.

Daily Sports reports that the referee lay motionless on the canvas for several minutes before anyone paid attention to his condition. At first, those present thought he was only pretending to be hurt, as often happens at such shows.

No medics on site

There was reportedly neither an ambulance nor medical staff at the venue, even though their presence at professional wrestling events is mandatory in Hidalgo state. The event itself appears to have been organised with little publicity. When emergency medics arrived, they could only confirm his death.

Investigation

The wrestler was detained, and investigators regard the incident as negligent homicide. It was later reported that he was released from custody after a compensation agreement with the victim's family. The investigation continues, and authorities will decide whether to bring new charges against him.

The referee's career

Pineda, nicknamed "El Búho", or "the Owl", had refereed professional wrestling in Hidalgo for almost three decades. Before that, he spent about 15 years as a wrestler himself under the ring name "El Búho Negro II".