By Joiner Martinez
16 Jul 2024, 17:20 PM EDT
The Colombian Football Federation (FCF) on Tuesday apologized for the incident in which the president of that entity, Ramón Jesurún, and his son Ramón Jamil were arrested in Miami, after the conclusion of the Copa América final at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday.
“As the governing body of Colombian football, we regret this incident and offer our apologies to the tournament organizers, the host country and the people who were affected,” the FCF said in a statement.
Jesurún and his son, who were arrested Sunday night after Colombia lost 1-0 to Argentina in the Copa America final, were released Monday after posting $2,000 bail.
The director and his son left the Miami-Dade correctional facility where they were detained and assured the press that they were abused, as they were accused of assaulting an officer, according to videos published by Colombian media.
In Tuesday’s statement, the FCF added that Jesurún “deeply regrets these events, which should never have occurred and which resulted in a paternal and instinctive maneuver to protect his son and his family.”
The arrest of Jesurún, 71, and his son, 43, who lives in the United States, was the culmination of a final marked by disorder and chaos caused by thousands of fans without tickets who broke through security barriers and entered Hard Rock Stadium, delaying the start of the match by one hour and 22 minutes.
The FCF information detailed that on Sunday “there were moments of tension and confusion at the sports venue, which led to last-minute modifications and the implementation of new security measures to guarantee the safety of those attending.”
The Federation also stated that at the time of the awards ceremony, the stadium’s private security prevented the majority of the members of the Colombian delegation from entering the field, despite being properly identified with the official badge of the organization, which caused some to vehemently protest because the awards ceremony would begin in minutes.
“One of the reproaches was shouted by a relative of the FCF president. However, the response of one of the guards was a hand maneuver that in seconds unleashed aggression and moments of great confusion,” the statement explains.
For this reason, the president of the FCF reacted, which led local guards to arrest the Colombian manager and his son, who regained their freedom after paying bail.
Miami-Dade Police said Monday they arrested 27 people following the chaos and riots at the stadium.
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