UPDATE MAY 11: The United Soccer League reduced Chelis' suspension from 7 to 4 games.
The incident, which was originally labeled as "referee assault," has been reduced to "referee abuse" following an investigation into the occurrences and the reports from multiple witnesses.
UPDATE MAY 4: The United Soccer League announced on Friday that Las Vegas Lights FC Technical Director Jose Luis Sánchez Solá – “Chelís” – has been suspended for 7 total games after making brief contact with an official following last Friday’s home match against San Antonio FC.
The club has filed a formal appeal with the USL Disciplinary Committee regarding the length of suspension and is awaiting to hear additional steps regarding the formal hearing.
The club’s 0-0 draw Monday night on the road at Real Monarchs SLC served as the first game of Chelís’ suspension.
Lights FC Head Coach Isidro Sánchez will lead the club from the sidelines this Saturday night at home against Tulsa Roughnecks FC and throughout the remainder of Chelís’ suspension.
Friday’s incident took place in the dugout located behind the teams’ benches, as both the Lights FC team and the match officials were leaving the field. During a verbal argument between Chelís and the officials, multiple witnesses to the incident – including two security officers assigned to the referees – saw Chelís make a pointing gesture in which his finger made brief contact with the referee’s chest.
ORIGINAL STORY
The Las Vegas Lights FC says two of their staff members have been suspended following an incident at Friday night's game.
Head coach Isidrio Sanchez and technical director Jose Luis Sanchez Sola have both been suspended for Monday's game against Real Monarchs SLC. The final ruling on the length of the suspension will be decided later this week.
The Lights would not comment on the incident itself. But according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, fans at Cashman Field threw items onto the field. It was also the Lights' first regular-season loss.
