Fans broke out in a brawl at Bank of America Stadium after Uruguay’s 1-0 loss to Colombia in the Copa America semifinals on Wednesday night, sending Darwin Nunez and about a dozen of his Uruguay teammates into the stands before security intervened and restored order.
After Colombia’s 1-0 win in Charlotte, North Carolina, videos posted on social media showed Uruguay players climbing into the stands and exchanging blows with opposing fans.
CONMEBOL, the South American football governing body that organises the Copa, said it was investigating the incident and issued the following statement after the match: “CONMEBOL strongly condemns any act of violence affecting football.”
“Our work is based on the conviction that football connects and unites us through its positive values.”
Uruguay’s Nunez and Ronald Araujo were among the players at the forefront of the brawl, and captain Jose Maria Jimenez said the players were trying to protect their families.
“Let me say something before they cut me off and don’t allow me to speak on the microphone. They don’t want me to say anything about what’s going on, but this is a catastrophe,” Jimenez said on the official broadcast. “Please be careful. There are families in the stands, there are newborn babies. This was a catastrophe. There were no police and we had to protect the families.”
“This is the fault of two or three people who have had too much to drink and don’t know how to handle it.”
Players and staff from both Colombia and Uruguay also clashed on the field after the final whistle.
“I thought the incident was just an altercation in midfield, so I saw it and went to the dressing room,” Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa told a news conference.
“I thought they were just thanking the fans for their support. But unfortunately, I learned there were some issues over there.”
Jefferson Lerma’s first-half header sent Colombia into Sunday’s final against Argentina. Uruguay will face Canada in the third-place match.
Information from the Associated Press and Reuters was used in this article.
