CONMEBOL, the governing body of South American football, has initiated an inquiry following a physical altercation between Uruguayan players and Colombian supporters after the conclusion of their Copa America semifinal on Wednesday.
Social media footage captured what seemed to be players from the Uruguayan team entering the stands and engaging in physical confrontations with fans of the opposing team, after Colombia secured a 1-0 win in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Uruguay's Darwin Nunez and Ronald Araujo were prominently involved in the brawl. According to captain Jose Maria Gimenez, the players were attempting to protect their families.
Additionally, players and staff from both teams were involved in a separate confrontation on the field following the end of the match.
"CONMEBOL has opened an investigation to understand the sequence of events and the responsibilities of those involved in the acts of violence that occurred at the end of the match," CONMEBOL said in a statement on Thursday, as reported by Reuters.
"We want to reaffirm and warn that no action will be tolerated that tarnishes this global football celebration. It is unacceptable that an incident like this turns passion into violence. Therefore, no behavior that harms the sporting competition will be tolerated."
