In Santiago, Chile, the renowned soccer club Colo Colo has announced its intention to challenge a recent decision obligating the team to host five home games in continental competitions without the presence of fans. Additionally, Colo Colo supporters will be prohibited from attending the next five away games.
The governing entity of South American soccer, CONMEBOL, ratified these penalties on Wednesday. This follows the tragic incident where two teenagers lost their lives due to a crowd surge prior to a Copa Libertadores match last month.
“It is a severe penalty for Colo Colo, and we plan to lodge an appeal,” stated Edmundo Valladares, the president of Colo Colo. “We hope to at least partly overturn this decision.”
This incident occurred on April 10 before the match between Colo Colo and Fortaleza, a team from Brazil, at Santiago’s Estadio Monumental. Official reports indicate that a section of fans forcefully attempted to enter the stadium and managed to tear down one of the protective barriers, resulting in the fans being fatally trapped beneath.
“We also hope this ordeal serves to increase awareness among fans,” Valladares commented, emphasizing the need for greater caution in the future.
CONMEBOL also decided that the match would be counted as a 3-0 win for Fortaleza, alongside imposing a significant fine on Colo Colo amounting to $80,000.
“The penalty is stringent — it affects us on the field by counting us as losing 3-0, and financially it is a significant blow. Nevertheless, we are determined to present a compelling appeal,” Valladares remarked.
Colo Colo, which holds the record for the most league titles in Chile with 32 championships, finds itself at the bottom position in its Copa Libertadores group after the initial three matches.