After Uruguay’s 1-0 semifinal loss to Colombia, striker Luis Suárez said that his teammates’ decision to enter the stands was necessary to ensure the safety of the supporters’ families.
After Wednesday night’s dramatic and passionate match, which resulted in seven yellow cards and one red card, players pushed and clashed in the middle of North Carolina’s Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
A brawl broke out behind the team’s bench, which Darwin Núñez and other Uruguayan players witnessed. As the altercation intensified, at least a dozen additional players climbed into the stands.
After about ten minutes of mayhem, security at the stadium and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department were able to settle the players down.
The South American soccer governing body CONMEBOL’s disciplinary committee announced the beginning of an investigation on Thursday.
Suárez spotted people he knew in the stands, including children and family, and he wanted to make sure they were okay. At least 90% of the more than 70,000 fans showed their support for Colombia by donning vibrant yellow jerseys.
Because they were “trapped” and things were falling on them, the victims felt helpless, according to Suárez.
Uruguayan José María Giménez described the scenario as a “disaster.”
The Uruguayan soccer organization arranged for special seats at the stadium for the families and friends of the players.
The governing body said in a statement released after the game that it condemned the violence and encouraged supporters to pour all of their passion into cheering for their national teams in the days leading up to the event.
The stadium administration and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department have not publicly commented on the likelihood of arrests.
There were a lot more security guards at the Copa America event than at concerts or even a regular home game for the Carolina Panthers of the NFL.
The third-place match in the competition, between Uruguay and Canada, will take place at the stadium on Saturday.
