Liga MX suspended as Fifa condemns ‘barbaric’ riot that leaves dozens injured in Mexico
At least 26 people were injured, including three critically, on Saturday when fans brawled during a football game in central Mexico.
The Liga MX match between the hosts Queretaro and Atlas from Guadalajara was suspended in the 62nd minute when fights broke out in the stands. Security personnel opened the gates to the field so that fans, including women and children, could escape the stands.
Players from Atlas quickly fled to the locker rooms as did some from Queretaro. Other Queretaro players, including Uruguayan goalkeeper Washington Aguerre, stayed near the bench trying to calm the fans.
After several minutes some of the fights moved to the field. Some people were armed with chairs and metal bars. One fan could be seen pulling a knife to cut the nets of one of the goals. Others destroyed a team bench and some fought in the players’ tunnel.
“Fifa joins the Mexican Football Association and Concacaf in condemning this barbaric incident and encouraging the local authorities to bring swift justice to those responsible,” said football’s governing body in a statement. “Our thoughts are with all those who suffered its consequences.” Liga MX also condemned the violence in a message on its official Twitter account. League president Mikel Arriola said those responsible for the lack of security in the stadium would be punished. He added that the rest of the league’s games this weekend had been suspended.
Unconfirmed reports in the Mexican media said up to 17 people had died in the violence. However, the governor of Queretaro, Mauricio Kuri, said those reports were untrue and no one had died, although 26 people had been hospitalized. Kuri said four of them had minor wounds, and eight were in stable condition, but three of the injured were in critical condition. They may have been the men who were seen unconscious on the ground being repeatedly kicked and pummeled in videos posted on social media.
“They were savagely injured, which is a shame and a blot on soccer, for these type of things to happen, in a place that should be for families to go and have fun. This is totally unacceptable,” Kuri said, adding that authorities were looking into charging some of the rioters with attempted homicide.
Atlas has had issues recently with violence among its fans. Last year, the derby with crosstown rival Chivas saw a brawl in the stands.
“Unfortunately, what is happening in Queretaro ... is happening in my country,” said Rafael Marquez, the former Mexico captain who started his career with Atlas and later became the club’s coach.
State authorities said some police were on duty at the stadium, but that it was largely staffed by private security officers. Video footage of the match suggested the security force was largely made up of female officers, who unsuccessfully tried to break up fights.
“If the [team] does not have enough officers or they lack training, we are going to work to hold them responsible,” said Guadalupe Murguia, Queretaro’s state interior secretary.