Spanish footballer won't press charges against Irish team that faked his death

Fernando Lafuente will not press charges against Irish club Ballybrack, who faked his death to avoid a match.

Footballs lined up before a match

The Spanish footballer whose death was faked by his former club, Ballybrack, will not be pressing charges.

A press release from Ballybrack, who play in the Leinster Senior League in the Republic of Ireland, claimed Fernando Lafuente had been killed in a car accident.

The claim led to the postponement of the club's clash with Arklow Town on Saturday, while other teams around the league held a minute's silence.

Lafuente – who left the club two months ago – suggested the story had been fabricated to force the abandonment of the match.

But he will not take action against his former employers, despite the upset their claim could have caused to his family back in Spain.

"I've taken it in my stride," he told Cadena Ser. "At the end of the day no one was hurt and no damage was done.

"It's all OK with the club. When I was there, they were very good to me. They would come and pick me up to take me to training.

"I now have received several offers to play in teams of the Galway area."

The team apologised for its "gross error of judgment" and confirmed that the person who fabricated the story had been relieved of all footballing duties.