UEFA deny rejecting Roque minute´s silence

UEFA have denied reports they rejected a request for a minute’s silence to be held in tribute to Miki Roque before Spain’s Euro 2012 semi-final.

The Real Betis defender lost his battle with pelvic cancer earlier this week, aged 23, and Spain stars Cesc Fabregas and Sergio Ramos led the tributes to the former Under-19 international.

Spain’s players had hoped that Roque’s passing would be formally recognised just before kick-off in their meeting with Paulo Bento’s Portugal in Donetsk, but the European football governing body has denied having received any such request from the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

A statement on UEFA’s website read: “Further to media reports of the alleged refusal to allow a minute of silence in memory of Spanish football player Miki Roque ahead of tonight’s UEFA Euro 2012 semi-final between Spain and Portugal, UEFA would like to underline that it has not received any such request from the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

“Articles reporting its rejection by UEFA are therefore totally unfounded.”

UEFA did not allow a minute’s silence for French journalist Thierry Ronald ahead of France’s clash with Sweden during the group stages, even though he had been a close friend of president Michel Platini.

Roque, who spent four years at Liverpool, was diagnosed with cancer last year after undergoing a routine check-up on a back problem and had a tumour removed last May.