The image of a bloody and unconscious Jaguares de Córdoba fan in the surroundings of the Armando Maestre Pavajeau stadium, after the Copa Colombia game that pitted the Monteriano club against Valledupar FC, is conclusive proof that football violence reached the capital of the Cease.
According to the National Police report, a few minutes after the soccer match ended, the fans of the teams clashed outside the sports arena.
“The exercise was done to prevent some Jaguares fans from being taken out a few minutes before in order to avoid inconveniences or friction between the bars. However, even though precautions were taken… when they were taken out in a place they were found and there was an attack,” said Colonel Luis Exberto León Rodríguez, commander of the Cesar Police Department, in dialogue with EL PILÓN last Wednesday.
This confrontation left a young man injured with a blunt force to the head, who was rescued by the other colleagues and his state of health is of a reserved prognosis.
This fact occurred just the day in which the Valledupar square received the public again after several sanction dates, precisely due to the bad behavior of the Verdiblancos fans last September during a Primera B match.
Even said sanction is in force and was only suspended because it was a match corresponding to another championship.
However, Tuesday night’s game served to confirm a palpable situation to which, between authorities and the club, they must put an end to. Is it time to permanently close the door on violent fans?
IS SANCTION OF 6 MONTHS TO THE BARRA ‘BRAVA’ ENOUGH?
Last Monday, in a press conference of the Valledupar Fútbol Club in which the city media as well as the leader, coaching staff and Verdiblancos players attended, the president of the institution, Nicolás Baena, confirmed that the Pasión Vallenata bar -the so-called barra brava of the local team- together with all its members, were sanctioned for 6 months without being able to enter the sports scene as a response to the bad behavior that cost the club the sanction described above.
However, in the match against Jaguares, it was observed that this group of fans was present in the stands that day and they were the ones who caused the excesses at the end of it.
SAFETY DEVICE FAILED?
According to a judicial source consulted by EL PILÓN, the leaders of this bar and its subdivisions met before the game to warn them about the behavior they should display inside and outside the stadium.
In addition, before starting the game, the entry of organized bars was prohibited. What happened then?
It seems that these young people entered as private fans -individually and not as baristas- but “once inside they grouped together and located in the same sector that they have traditionally located.”
In dialogue with EL PILÓN, Colonel Luis Exberto León Rodríguez, commander of the Cesar Police Department, was “surprised” by the attitude of the fans after the sporting event and confirmed that the Cesar Police periodically meet with them to raise awareness about the good behavior in the stands.
He also assured that stricter internal and external devices will be carried out to enforce the measure issued by Valledupar FC regarding the 6-month sanction of the Pasión Vallenata bar.
Another of the measures to be implemented by the police authorities will be to demand the citizenship card upon entering the stage to control the baristas, who are fully identified.
BY: SPORTS / EL PILÓN