Colombia nationwide crew head coach Nestor Lorenzo stated Laborious Rock Stadium’s safety breach impacted his gamers forward of their 2024 Copa América last defeat to Argentina on Sunday evening, labelling the scenario “anxiety-inducing.”
Hours earlier than kick off, followers with out tickets to the sport broke by means of the southwest gate of the venue, inflicting many to be tackled and apprehended by police and safety personnel. A stadium safety guard confirmed to ESPN that the southwest gate had been closed due to a breach, earlier than the complete venue went into lockdown.
“Think about, from the locker room we had been making an attempt to speak with relations, with buddies, to see in the event that they had been in hassle or not, it was overwhelming. In order that was chaotic. We tried to maintain the crew calm, however there was anxiousness,” Lorenzo stated after the match.
“Think about the day’s schedule to play a last, the whole lot goes minute-by-minute, breakfast, lunch, the crew discuss, the departure from the bus, the arrival after which it’s a must to say: ‘No, we’ve to attend half an hour, no, 45 minutes, no, an hour.’
“Every little thing turned uprooted. I repeat, it occurred for each groups. It is a criticism, however not a cry.”
After followers breached the gates, pre-game warm-ups ended abruptly as gamers had been compelled off the pitch and into the locker rooms. The sport finally started 75 minutes delayed.
“They warmed up, acquired chilly, warmed up once more then an extended half-time,” Lorenzo added.
“Bizarre issues, for either side however the crew with much less expertise feels it extra. There isn’t a must make a criticism or something, however I stated that this might have an effect on the physique and customarily the stress is felt extra by the one that has much less expertise in these kinds of occasions.”
The organising our bodies confirmed all gates had been open to keep away from any critical accidents and the specter of a stampede. Laborious Rock Stadium launched an announcement after the ultimate blaming “unruly followers” for the disruption.
“Preparations [for the final] included a rise within the variety of regulation enforcement officers and safety on-hand, with greater than double the personnel than a typical at-capacity stadium occasion,” it stated.
“All through the afternoon and night, there have been quite a few makes an attempt by unruly followers with out tickets to overpower safety and regulation enforcement personnel at entry factors to the stadium, placing themselves, different followers and safety and stadium workers at excessive threat.
“Numerous stadium gates had been closed and re-opened strategically in an try to permit ticketed friends to enter safely and in a managed method. Followers continued to interact in unlawful conduct — combating law enforcement officials, breaking down partitions and barricades and vandalizing the stadium, inflicting important harm to the property.
“When it turned obvious that it could not be secure to start out the match at 8 p.m., a joint resolution was made to postpone. Shortly after 8 p.m., stadium officers, CONMEBOL, CONCACAF and regulation enforcement officers communicated and determined to open stadium gates for a brief time frame to all followers to forestall stampedes and critical harm on the perimeter.
“We’ll proceed to work with regulation enforcement to determine and maintain criminals accountable who engaged in unlawful conduct tonight. It’s disappointing {that a} evening of celebration was impacted by illegal and unsafe conduct, and we are going to absolutely assessment the processes and protocols in place tonight and work with regulation enforcement to make sure such an occasion by no means occurs once more.”
Argentina defeated Colombia with an additional time objective by Lautaro Martínez within the 112th minute, seeing the Albiceleste turn out to be back-to-back Copa América champions.
