A FOOTBALL FAN has died after clashes between supporters and police caused the match between Gimnasia La Plata and Boca Juniors to be abandoned.
There were outbreaks of violence and disorder as some Gimnasia fans tried to get into an already packed stadium, according to local authorities.
Police tried to stop those fans using rubber bullets and tear gas – but even a local TV reporter was shot at by one police officer.
The tear gas also spread onto the pitch and affected players and fans, resulting in the match being suspended after just nine minutes.
Gimansia star Leonardo Morales said: “My 2-year-old and six-month-old sons could not breathe. We feel desperate and worried about all the people in the stands. This is crazy.
“We were playing a normal football game and it turned into this and the feeling that our relatives almost died.”
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
A 57-year-old Gimnasia fan died on his way to hospital after suffering a heart problem, while a child was blinded, Buenos Aires security minister Sergio Berni revealed.
The Argentine Football Association has released a statement condemning the violent scenes.
It reads: “The AFA strongly repudiates the events that took place today in the vicinity of Gimnasia stadium and expresses its commitment to continue working to eradicate this kind of incidents that tarnishes the spirit of football.”
Measures are already in place to reduce violence and chaos in Argentine football – Boca fans were banned from attending the match.
Most read in Football
In fact, Buenos Aires province has prohibited supporters of visiting teams from attending games since 2013.
Referee Hernán Mastrángelo said of the incident: “We left the field of play very quickly, those who approached the locker room had very affected eyes.
“The situation was not pleasant for anyone. In my experience it is the first time something similar happens to me, it makes us all very sad, we have to think about the families, the people who had a bad time.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
