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WORLD NEWS Monday 7 March 2022

Mexico suspends league soccer matches after massive brawl

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mex- a former captain of the
ico's top-division soccer Mexican national team
league suspended all who started his career with
matches scheduled for Atlas and later became its
Sunday after a huge brawl coach.
among fans during the pre- Kuri condemned the vio-
vious day's match between lence and said the own-
host Queretaro and At- ers of the Queretaro club
las from Guadalajara, the would have to answer for
reigning league champion. what happened. He also
"We regret and condemn pledged to investigate
these events, which run whether authorities or any-
contrary to the spirit of our one else had been remiss
soccer," the Mexican Soc- in not quelling the violence.
cer Federation said in a "I have given instructions
statement. The suspension that the law be applied
affected three matches with all of its consequenc-
scheduled for Sunday. es," he said.
The Saturday match was Both teams issued state-
suspended in the 62nd ments condemning the vio-
minute after multiple fights lence. State authorities said
broke out in the stands. Se- some police were on duty
curity personnel opened at the stadium, but that it
the gates to the field so that Fans clash during a Mexican soccer league match between the host Queretaro and Atlas from was largely staffed by pri-
fans, including women and Guadalajara, at the Corregidora stadium, in Queretaro, Mexico, Saturday, March 5, 2022. vate security officers. Video
children, could escape the Associated Press footage of the match sug-
stands. gested the security force
Queretaro state authorities the violence "unaccept- lessness of what happened fought in the tunnel to the was largely made up of
said 23 remained hospital- able and intolerable." yesterday." field. female officers, who un-
ized. Ten were in serious "FIFA joins the Mexican After the melee broke out, "The darkest day for Mexi- successfully tried to break
condition and three others Football Association and players from visiting Atlas can soccer," was the front- up fights. "If the company
were in critical condition Concacaf (the North Amer- quickly fled to the locker page headline in the Mexi- (soccer team) does not
with very severe injuries. ican soccer federation) in rooms as did some from the can newspaper El Universal have enough officers or
They may have been the condemning this barbaric Queretaro side. Other Que- on Sunday. they lack training, we are
three men who were seen incident and encourag- retaro players, including In fact, violence between going to work to hold them
unconscious or badly beat- ing the local authorities to Uruguayan goalie Wash- gangs of rival soccer fans is responsible," said Guada-
en on the ground, being re- bring swift justice to those ington Aguerre, stayed commonplace at stadiums lupe Murguía, the state in-
peatedly kicked and pum- responsible. Our thoughts near the bench trying to in Mexico. terior secretary.
meled in videos posted on are with all those who suf- calm the fans. Guadalajara is the capital Large squads of police
social media. fered its consequences," After several minutes some of Jalisco state, and Atlas are assigned to security at
FIFA, the international soc- the statement said. of the fights moved to the has also had issues recently some soccer matches in
cer governing body, said Queretaro Gov. Mauricio field where they contin- with violence among its Mexico.
in a statement that it was Kuri said Sunday: "What ued punching and kicking. fans. Last year, the "classic" "The security at the stadium
"shocked at the tragic inci- happened yesterday fills Some people were armed with crosstown rival Chivas is a private responsibility,
dent that took place at La me with pain, with shame with chairs and metal bars. saw a brawl in the stands. but despite that, I recog-
Corregidora stadium in the and a lot of rage. I have One fan could be seen pull- "Unfortunately, what is hap- nize that law enforcement
city of Queretaro during no words strong enough to ing a knife to cut the nets of pening in Queretaro ...is was insufficient and did not
the fixture between Que- condemn the violence, the one goal. Others destroyed happening in my coun- act with sufficient speed,"
retaro and Atlas." It called abusiveness and the sense- one side's bench and some try," said Rafael Márquez, Gov. Kuri said.q