by After his team’s 1-0 loss to Colombia in the Copa América semifinal, Uruguayan coach Marcelo Bielsa believes his players should be punished with an apology rather than punishment.
Bielsa criticized tournament organizers for not adequately protecting the families of Uruguayan players, stating that they should take matters into their own hands to protect their loved ones. He emphasized that in the United States, the country of security, players should defend their mothers, sisters, and babies.
South American soccer’s governing body, CONMEBOL, has initiated an investigation into a violent incident. The federation criticized the incident, calling it unacceptable. The disciplinary committee is investigating the perpetrators, not the players. The incident has sparked anger among footballers, with some calling it a “witch hunt” and a shame.
Uruguay has the option to seat families in luxury boxes instead of in the crowd for their upcoming third-place game against Canada, with the same level of security planned for the subdued crowd.
The downtown Charlotte stadium, home of the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC, hosted a throng of nearly 70,000 spectators, the majority of which were Colombians. Despite the majority wearing Colombia’s colors, a few Uruguayan fans were present at the start of the game.
After a physical game involving seven yellow cards and one red, a fight broke out in the stands, involving shoving, punches, and drinks. Over a dozen Uruguay players, including Darwin Núñez, climbed a set of portable stairs into the crowd.
José Bielsa, the president of the Uruguayan soccer organization, chastised Mecklenburg County Police for failing to provide adequate safety measures and an escape route for spectators in case of emergency. After more than five minutes of violence in the stands, Bielsa got into a heated argument with a reporter at a press conference, saying they had gotten an apology and didn’t fear punishment. After the stadium was cleared, the incident happened.
Bielsa talked about his fear of getting into sports and the dangers he faced. He said he couldn’t protect his family and couldn’t let them run away. He inquired about the penalty and the timing of their apology. The circumstances are still unknown.
Uruguayan player Sebastián Cáceres expressed concern over the events following the game, stating that he went to check on his family and tried to bring a teammate to prevent further chaos. The situation is something anyone would have done after the game.
