Barcelona star banned for touching opponent's genitals despite denying bizarre incident
Updated . First published
Barcelona player Mapi Leon has been banned for two Liga F games for touching an opponent on the genitals.
The incident happened in February but the suspension was only just confirmed to BBC Sport.
She sat out the weekend's game against Atletico Madrid and will also miss Barcelona's next game against Real Madrid.
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Leon denied touching her opponent's genital area in a Spanish women's league game after the alleged action was condemned by Espanyol as "unacceptable".
Leon said in a statement released by Barcelona on at the time that the action never happened.
"I touch her leg," Leon said. "There is no touching of an intimate area, much less any intention to do so. I insist, it's a simple moment of the game that doesn't deserve the repercussion or importance that this is acquiring."
Mapi Leon (R) was caught on camera. X
Video from the match shows Leon and Daniela Caracas bumping each other to get into position away from the ball, then Leon stops and briefly touches Caracas' shorts with her right hand.
Leon apparently also said something to Caracas before they continue pushing each other again to gain position, with Spanish newspaper La Voz de Galicia alleging Leon asked, "Do you have a dick?".
Leon said she told Caracas, "What's wrong with you?".
"In no circumstance would it occur to me to touch the private parts of any of my colleagues, it goes against my principles and I will never do it," she said.
Espanyol said Leon's actions "violated the privacy" of its defender.
