The Conmebol He said on Monday that he made security recommendations that were not taken into account by the authorities in charge of the Hard Rock Stadium from the American city of Miami, where the Copa América final was played and where violent riots were reported before the match between Colombia and Argentina.
According to the criteria of
“As is known, during the final in Miami, fans without tickets went to the vicinity of the stadium, which delayed normal access for those who did have them, which slowed down entry and led to the closure of the doors,” said Conmebol in a statement.
“In this situation, Conmebol was subject to the decisions made by the authorities of Hard Rock Stadium, in accordance with the contractual responsibilities established for the security operation. In addition to the provisions set out in said contract, Conmebol recommended to said authorities the procedures tested in events of this magnitude, which were not taken into account,” he added.
In this regard, Conmebol regretted that “the acts of violence caused by malicious people have tarnished a final that was set to be a great sporting event.”
Argentina won the Copa America in the United States by defeating Colombia 1-0 in extra time. The match started one hour and 22 minutes late after violent scenes broke out in the surrounding area caused by fans without tickets who bypassed the weak security controls at the entrances, which led to the stadium being practically closed.
Finally, the organization opened the doors and people with and without tickets entered in a rush, so the venue’s capacity was exceeded.
Hard Rock Stadium responds to Conmebol
This Tuesday, the authorities of the sports venue published a new statement in which they respond to the allegations made by Conmebol and assure that there were permanent meetings to work on the security protocol. They assure that they did implement Conmebol’s recommendations.
“As we have previously noted, Hard Rock Stadium worked together with Conmebol, Concacaf and local authorities prior to and during the organization of the Copa America. The agencies met regularly, including daily security meetings. The stadium implemented and even exceeded Conmebol recommendations during the tournament and in the final“, the statement said.
They added that “we will evaluate protocols around all operational aspects of the stadium. We remain grateful to the law enforcement officials and stadium staff who worked to prioritize safety, regardless of the events that occurred, and the aggressive behavior of unruly fans.”
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