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Fans of a Mexican soccer team will not be allowed at home games for a year after a brawl erupted during a match over the weekend, leaving at least 26 people injured.
According toThe Athletic, Mexican Football Federation’s Disciplinary Commission announced sanctions for soccer clubs Querétaro FC and Atlas FC following a riot that broke out amongst fans on Saturday night.
The punishments include barring fans from Querétaro home games, including Querétaro’s women’s and youth teams, for a year. The team’s fan clubs are banned from their home stadium for three years total.
“What happened last weekend not only put many lives in danger, it also damaged the reputation of the state of Querétaro, its people and the club, of Liga MX and of Mexican football both nationally and internationally,” FMF president Yon De Luisa said, according to the outlet.
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Footage from the game showsdozens of fans racing to the fieldto escape the chaos in the stands. At least 26 people were injured, and three people were hospitalized and listed in critical condition,Reutersreported.
Photos andvideosof the incident show attendees throwing garbage cans and holding chairs. Attendee Hector Ramirez told Reuters he saw some holding belts and knives.
“They hit me with a chair, and I have the bump right here,” Ramirez told the outlet while pointing to his head. “Where do you get a chair in a stadium?”
Mauricio Kuri, the governor of Querétaro state, said while there were no deaths, the brawl shouldn’t be considered any less tragic.
“Even though there are no deaths, we can’t say this isn’t a tragedy,” he told reporters, according to Reuters.
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Querétaro has also suspended five officials after security teams at the stadium were incapable of controlling the violence.
source: people.com
