By Alfredo Di Cesare
Jun 30, 2024, 12:31 PM EDT
So far in the 2024 Copa América, three coaches have been sanctioned by the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol). The reason? It can be summed up in a structural detail.
Lionel Scaloni (Argentina), Ricardo Gareca (Chile) and Fernando Batista (Venezuela) were suspended for a match without coaching due to a delay in the team’s departure during halftime of their last matches. The Federations of the countries in question were also fined $15,000.
Through a statement, Conmebol explained that the strategists were suspended per match due to non-compliance with articles 104 and 145 of the tournament regulations. These contemplate the actions to be taken in the event that the teams leave “later than the time scheduled for the start or resumption of the game.”
A structural detail could be the cause
For Conmebol, the cause of the sanctions is a delay on the part of the coaches. Lionel Scaloni could not be in his national team’s victory against Peru, but before the match the coach of the bicolor team said that the cause is a little deeper and is due to a structural detail of the stadiums in the United States.
Jorge Fossati showed his support for the young Argentine strategist and assured that the reason for the delays that have cost three coaches sanctions this Copa América is due to the fact that the distance between the locker rooms and the field is very long.
“In many of the stadiums here, the changing rooms are about a kilometre away from the pitch, and that has to be taken into account,” said the Uruguayan.
Fossati asked for special attention to be paid to this matter. “We would have to make an adjustment to see if we are really given the necessary time so that we do not make the serious mistake of going out a couple of minutes late and then the coaches are responsible,” he emphasized.
He even joked with an example. “As if we were telling the players to stay in the locker room and not leave on time,” she said in a sarcastic tone. Later, he even dared to request a modification to a regulation that governs world football. “You have to take into account many things: when the first half ends it is not the time to put the 15 minutes on the stopwatch, but when you get to the locker room,” he insisted.
Keep reading:
· Fernando Batista was suspended by Conmebol after the delay in Venezuela’s departure against Mexico
· Canada tied 0-0 with Chile and won the ticket to the quarterfinals of the Copa América
· Argentina achieves perfect record in Group A of Copa America after beating Peru [Video]