Chile President Condemns ‘obvious Irresponsibility’ After Fan Violence Suspends Copa Sudamericana Match

Violent clashes betwixt fans astatine Wednesday’s Copa Sudamericana lucifer betwixt Independiente and Universidad de Chile successful Buenos Aires resulted successful nan 2nd limb of nan past 16 necktie being abandoned.

Players near nan section successful nan 2nd half arsenic information concerns grew astatine nan Estadio Libertadores de América. The necktie was locked astatine 1-1 erstwhile nan lucifer was suspended, pinch nan Chilean broadside starring 2-1 connected aggregate.

South American football’s governing assemblage (Conmebol) said nan lucifer had been cancelled owed to “the deficiency of information guarantees from nan section nine and section information authorities”.

It added that nan lawsuit would beryllium referred to its judicial bodies and that accusation regarding nan events would beryllium sent to nan disciplinary committee.

Universidad de Chile players tried to calm down their fans. Photograph: Gustavo Garello/AP

Videos circulated connected societal media showed respective convulsive clashes successful nan stands, including 1 wherever a instrumentality fell from nan apical of nan guidelines to nan crushed below.

Argentine media reported that much than 300 Universidad de Chile fans were arrested aft nan clashes. Several supporters from some clubs besides sustained injuries, media reports said.

Chile President Gabriel Boric issued a connection connected societal media condemning nan violence.

“What happened ... is incorrect successful truthful galore ways, from nan unit successful nan stands to nan evident irresponsibility successful nan organization,” he wrote. “The justness strategy must find who is responsible. Now our privilege arsenic a authorities is to find retired nan information of our compatriots who person been attacked, guarantee they person contiguous aesculapian attention, and that those who person been detained person their authorities respected.”

Boric said he had instructed nan Chilean ambassador to sojourn fans being held astatine constabulary stations and treated successful hospitals successful nan Argentine capital.

In April, a Chilean derby betwixt Universidad de Chile and Colo Colo was postponed aft 2 young fans were killed successful a crush astatine a Copa Libertadores match.

Violence is communal astatine stadiums successful Argentina and unit group Salvemos Al Futbol (Save Football) has catalogued much than 350 football-related deaths successful nan state complete nan past century.