At Least 1 Dead After Altercation Between Fans, Police at Boca Juniors vs. Gimnasia
Oct 7, 2022
LA PLATA, ARGENTINA - OCTOBER 06: Fans of Gimnasia cover their faces as they are affected by tear gas after a match between Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata and Boca Juniors was cancelled as part of Liga Profesional 2022 at Juan Carmelo Zerillo Stadium on October 6, 2022 in La Plata, Argentina. The match was stopped at nine minutes of play and later cancelled amid serious incidents outside the stadium with fans and police officers who used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. It was reported a fan of Gimnasia died and many were injured.(Photo by Gustavo Garello/Jam Media/Getty Images)
One person died after a clash between
fans and police during Thursday night's Argentine Primera División
match between Boca Juniors and Gimnasia at Estadio Juan Carmelo
Zerillo.
ESPN reported the game was called off
by referee Hernan Mastrangelo after just nine minutes as tear gas
used by police outside the venue made its way toward the pitch. Local police said Gimnasia fans were attempting to force
into an already packed stadium.
"Unfortunately, there is a dead
person. He died of a heart problem when he was transported to the
hospital," Buenos Aires Province minister of security Sergio
Berni said.
An estimated 10,000 fans were outside
the stadium trying to gain entry, according to BBC Sport. Gimnasia supporters were the
only ones eligible to enter since fans of visiting clubs
have been barred from away matches in the Buenos Aires Province since
2013 because of violence, per ESPN.
"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," the
Argentine Football Association said in a statement.
Mastrangelo said he decided to call off
the match because the "air became unbreathable" and there were "no security guarantees" amid the tense situation, per BBC Sport.
Gimnasia center back Leonardo Morales
also described a scary scene, according to ESPN.
"My 2-year-old son couldn't
breathe," Morales said. "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 it into this and the feeling that our
relatives almost died."
Police used rubber bullets in addition
to the tear gas in an effort to regain control of the situation.
The news comes after at least 125
people were killed in Indonesia following a crowd surge during a soccer
match between Arema and Persebaya Surabaya on Saturday. Police used tear gas
after fans entered the pitch, leading to a crush that also left more
than 300 people injured.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo said
Wednesday that locked doors and steep stairs contributed to the
tragedy, and he confirmed FIFA President Gianni Infantino offered
support to help fix the country's soccer management.
Play in the Argentine Primera División
is scheduled to resume Saturday.
