Montevideo.-Almost two months after the incidents that broke out in the stands of Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte during the Copa America semi-final, Conmebol announced the sanctions for 11 Uruguayan footballers who were involved in the brawl with fans of Colombia, the team that won the match that day that allowed it to reach the final against Argentina.
Forward Darwin Núñez was the one who received the most severe punishment with five matches, followed by midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, who will be without official activity for four matches. Mathías Olivera, Ronald Araújo, José María Giménez, Sebastián Cáceres, Matías Viña, Emiliano Martínez Toranza, Brian Rodríguez, Facundo Pellistri and Santiago Mele were suspended for three matches.
It was also ruled that the figure of leader Marcelo García will be subject to a “ban from entering stadiums in competitions organized by Conmebol for a period of six months.”
The Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) received a fine of 20 thousand dollars, a figure similar to that which it will have to pay for Darwin Núñez. In the case of Bentancur, the economic amount of the punishment amounts to 16 thousand dollars. For Olivera, Araújo and Josema Giménez they will have to pay 12 thousand dollars each, while for Cáceres, Viña, Martínez Toranza, Rodríguez, Mele and Pellistri, the figure will be 5 thousand dollars. It should be noted that all this money will be deducted directly from the AUF in the amounts that it should receive from Conmebol in “concept of television rights, participation and/or prizes.”
“We expressly warn the Uruguayan Football Association, the players and the official that in the event of any repetition of any infringement of the sporting discipline of the same or similar nature to that which gave rise to this procedure, the provisions of Article 27 of the Disciplinary Code of Conmebol will apply, as well as the consequences that may arise from it,” clarifies the statement released by Conmebol.
It should be remembered that the events took place after Colombia’s 1-0 victory over Uruguay in the semi-finals of the Copa America, a match that took place on July 10. What happened led to a heated press conference by Marcelo Bielsa, who attacked those responsible for the organisation: “The players reacted as any human being would have done. If you see that there is a process to mitigate everything, an escape route and prevention, but nothing happens, and they are attacking your wife, your mother, a baby. What will your reaction be? And you ask me if they are going to sanction the players! But please.”
Although the team later played the match for third place in the competition against Canada – which ended with a victory on penalties – El Loco will now have to do without 11 players in Uruguay’s next three games.
Although there is one detail that will shorten the sanctions: Uruguay has scheduled a friendly against Guatemala next Sunday, September 1 at Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium, it will be counted as the first game of suspension for the eleven punished. For that match, the coach will be Diego Pérez and the list is made up of athletes from the local tournament.
Therefore, the eleven sanctioned players will not be able to take part in the upcoming double date of South American Qualifiers: against Paraguay (at home, on September 6) and against Venezuela (away, on September 10).
Against Peru (away, on October 10), Bentancur will serve his punishment and Darwin will clean up his record once and for all in his presentation against Ecuador.
Currently, the Argentine national team leads the South American Qualifiers table with 15 points after six dates, with Uruguay as runner-up with 13 points, followed by Colombia (12), Venezuela (9), Ecuador (8), Brazil (7), Paraguay (5), Chile (5), Bolivia (3) and Peru (2). It should be remembered that six countries will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup and the seventh will face the Repechage.Infobae.
#Conmebol #sanctions #Uruguayan #footballers #incidents #Copa #America
2024-08-30 11:34:08
