Club America defender Pablo Aguilar is appealing his yearlong ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Club America announced Friday in a brief statement.
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"Club America will support the player in his appeal process and in his right to defend himself before the corresponding authorities," the statement read.
Aguilar was suspended for aggression toward referee Fernando Hernandez after America's 1-0 defeat to Club Tijuana in the Copa MX Round of 16. He ran to the referee after he blew for full-time and lowered his head, though he does not appear to have made head-to-head contact.
El Gremio Arbitral reprueba los actos de Pablo Aguilar y Enrique Triverio, basta de agresiones. #CopaMX #CopaCoronaMX #UnidosPorUnBienComún pic.twitter.com/WoVAlQCQbM
— AMA Árbitros (@AMArbitros) March 9, 2017
After initially receiving a 10-match suspension, Aguilar's ban was taken up to a year when the league's referees went on strike in protest of the punishment handed to Aguilar and Toluca midfielder Enrique Triverio, who was involved in a similar incident.
Reports from Mexico City indicate the player is confident that he can get the ban reduced and perhaps return to America in the Apertura. In the interim, Las Aguilas face Monterrey on Saturday as they look to get into the postseason.
