Luis Muentes, president of the Ecuadorian referees association, defended the work of his colleague, Roddy Zambrano, who is questioned for his performance in the final of the Copa Ecuador between Delfin and Liga de Quito, last Saturday in Manta.

The albos won the tournament despite losing 3-1, however, the away goal scored was enough to achieve the crown (3-3 aggregate).

Delfin's members, such as defender Pedro Pablo Perlaza, showed his disagreement with Zambrano. "We don't want them to help us, but we don't want them to harm us either," said the defender. Also, coach Fabian Bustos referred that the referee teams in both finals (first leg and second leg) did not have a good performance.

"We have to be brave and upfront, if someone talks about weird things, they should say it to our face. It's easy to grab a microphone and say anything. We are human beings, we work, but under no circumstances do I accept those cowardly insinuations, if there is evidence, they should speak up, and we will respond," Muentes said.

"I defend what I can defend, and condemn what I cannot. There are cowards who say things about referees and only know how to criticize, that's the easiest thing," added the union leader in an interview with radio Huancavilca.

Muentes denied that it is said that his guild has biases in favor of one team or another.

"They say that everything has been planned and that we seek for a team X to be champion, we want no one to say that an arbitral error is planned to benefit a club," said the director.

"I don't feel well, I am responsible and part of Ecuadorian football; one cannot even sleep peacefully. I feel helpless with so many injustices that are said," Muentes concluded. (D)