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Sunday, December 22, 2024

2 people critically injured as fan violence ends football match (VIDEO)

Violence spilled from the stands to the pitch

A Mexican football match had to be ended in the 62nd minute when a riot broke out and fans attacked each other, leaving 22 people injured and at least two fans in a critical condition. 

Queretaro were trailing 1-0 at home to reigning Liga MX champions Atlas when a number of fights broke out in the terraces and security had to open the gates to the pitch so that some fans – including women and children – could escape the violence.

Some players from each side fled to the locker room and others stayed near the bench while attempting to calm the angry fans down.

The brawls then made their way to the field, where yobs punched and kicked each other, including attacks with chairs and metal bars.

“So far there is no report of deaths; 22 people injured, nine of them taken to the General Hospital and of these, two are critical,” confirmed Queretaro state’s civil protection agency on Twitter.

“The rest are stable. It should be mentioned that all of those injured are male, and at this moment it’s been confirmed that four were from the state of Jalisco.”

Atlas hail from Guadalajara, which is pound-for-pound boxing king Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez’s home and is Jalisco’s capital. 

Graphic videos showed fans bloodied and motionless on the ground, with some stripping naked in scenes that shocked social media viewers.

© Manuel Velasquez / Getty Images



One fan was seen pulling out a knife to slash the netting of one goal, and other damage caused to the Estadio Corregidora included a bench being destroyed as some fought in the tunnel the players emerge from.  

Queretaro state Governor Mauricio Kuri said that Queretaro’s owners will have to answer for the unrest and said he had “given instructions that the law be applied with all of its consequences.”

© Manuel Velasquez / Getty Images



Liga MX president Mikel Arriola tweeted that the culprits would be “punished in an exemplary manner”.

“The safety of our players and fans is a priority,” he added. The league also announced that a full investigation is already underway.

Among the most prominent voices condemning the violence was former Barcelona defender and ex-Mexico men’s national team captain Rafael Marquez, who began his career with Atlas and was once their coach.

“Unfortunately, what is happening in Queretaro… is happening in my country,” Marquez lamented.

“This isn’t about Mexican football. It’s about Mexican culture,” said another viewer.

“The Mexican system. The sheer and utter lack of respect for human life in the country of Mexico. Barbaric. Murderers.”

“What is seen in Mexico is pure violence of people who take refuge in soccer because there they find shelter to carry out their crimes and misdeeds,” said a Liga pundit. “[They use] soccer as an excuse.”

“That is why I insist so much that it is in the hands of the clubs to make brave decisions regarding their ultras.”

The Liga MX has suspended the rest of its Matchday 9 fixtures in response to the violence.

https://ift.tt/PZp7GuL 06, 2022 at 04:59PM
from RT – Daily news

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