Ramón Jesurún, the president of the Colombian Football Federation, was arrested Sunday evening throughout a chaotic Copa América last between Colombia and Argentina at Hard Rock Stadium.
Jesurún, who additionally serves because the vp of CONMEBOL, the governing physique for Copa América, is going through three felony counts of battery on a specified official or worker after being accused of preventing safety guards on the stadium, per Miami-Dade Police Department’s arrest report of the incident.
The incident additionally concerned his son, 43-year-old Ramón Jamil Jesurún.
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Jesurún, 71, can also be a member of the FIFA council. He was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center round 4:15 a.m. on Monday, per jail information.
The arrest report states that the father-son duo fought safety guards holding folks again from a tunnel the place the media have been gathering following the 1-0 Colombia loss to Argentina within the Copa América last. This occurred round 12:20 a.m. on Monday.
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Police say they have been “irate” and began “shouting” at a guard, who positioned his hand on the youthful Jesurún’s chest to “information him again.” That’s when issues obtained bodily, because the elder Jesurún allegedly stepped ahead and pushed the guard.
Then, the youthful Jesurún is accused of grabbing the guard’s neck and punching him, based on the report.
They have been anticipated to seem in Miami court docket Monday afternoon following their arrests.
This chaotic scene on the finish of the match got here after pure pandemonium befell beforehand, as a number of followers rushed previous safety and stadium attendants with out tickets and sprinted towards seats, which delayed the beginning of the match for greater than an hour.
Miami-Dad County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Chief Public Safety Officer James Reyes criticized the scenario.
Policemen speak with followers outdoors the stadium previous to the Copa America last soccer match between Argentina and Colombia in Miami Gardens, Fla., Sunday, July 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
“Our prime precedence have to be the protection and safety of all our residents and guests, and we urge everybody in attendance at tonight’s recreation to abide by all directives from legislation enforcement and safety personnel for the protection of all attendees,” they stated, including that greater than 550 officers have been assigned to the stadium together with extra personnel introduced out of Miami-Dade Police’s jurisdiction to assist.
“Let’s be clear: The scenario ought to by no means have taken place and can’t occur once more. We will work with stadium management to make sure that a full overview of tonight’s occasions takes place instantly to judge the total chain of occasions, to be able to put in place wanted protocols and insurance policies and all future video games.”
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Not solely did a stampede occur that displaced youngsters from dad and mom and injured some within the course of, Hard Rock Stadium noticed destruction as properly. Videos confirmed followers fully destroying an escalator resulting in the ’72 Club,’ whereas others tried to enter the stadium by means of airducts.
The chaos that ensued at Hard Rock Stadium led one fan caught up within the mess to consider at the very least Miami isn’t ready for the 2026 World Cup.
“They can’t set up a World Cup! It’s inconceivable,” a fan named Claudia instructed The Associated Press in Spanish. “People caught in opposition to the gate for hours, unable to breathe. There was a senior citizen, take a look at him, take a look at him (motioning at his younger son), left with out water. No water, nothing.”
“It is hard to clarify what occurred earlier than the sport,” Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni added by means of an interpreter. “We had gamers ready for his or her relations to get into the stadium, ready for an hour. We needed to begin a match with out realizing the place our relations have been. I believe the gamers for Colombia have been going by means of the identical factor. It was very bizarre.”
Hard Rock Stadium issued an announcement as properly, noting the various ticket holders who didn’t get to expertise the match regardless of paying 1000’s for seats.
“We perceive there are disillusioned ticket holders who weren’t capable of enter the stadium after the perimeter was closed and we are going to work in partnership with CONMEBOL to handle these particular person issues,” the stadium added. “Ultimately, there’s nothing extra necessary than the well being and security of all visitors and employees, and that may all the time stay our precedence.
Ramon Jesurun, president of Colombia’s Federation of Football ‘FCF’ through the Colombia Vs USA Womens U20 pleasant preparatory match in Bogota, Colombia’s El Campin Stadium for the 2024 U20 Womens Wold Cup, on February 25, 2024. (Sebastian Barros/Long Visual Press/Universal Images Group through Getty Images)
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“We will proceed to work with legislation enforcement to establish and maintain criminals accountable who engaged in unlawful conduct tonight. It is disappointing {that a} evening of celebration was impacted by illegal and unsafe conduct, and we are going to absolutely overview the processes and protocols in place tonight and work with legislation enforcement to make sure such an occasion by no means occurs once more.”
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
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