MIAMI.- The night of the Copa America grand final turned into a real nightmare. The dreams of a great sporting celebration dissolved into a sea of chaos, pushing and despair. What was supposed to be a joyous event turned into a pitched battle, where fans ran over each other, alienated, almost ‘devilish’, just for the opportunity to see the long-awaited match between Argentina and Colombia.
Thousands of fans of both nationalities had traveled to Miami-Dade County with the hope of seeing their team fight for the title on the field. The tension increased with each minute, as the crowd gathered uncontrollably around the sports venue in the city of Miami Gardens. Many, without tickets, mostly Colombians, arrived at the gates of the stadium, eager to witness the soccer match.
Suddenly, the unimaginable happened. No one knows how, but thousands of these furious fans managed to bypass security and gain access to the stadium. The images circulating on social media were shocking: they entered in a stampede, violating the entry rules, without any control over weapons or other security measures. The euphoria unleashed by the desire to see the match turned into a human torrent that overwhelmed the security barriers and knocked down everything in its path.
The situation became chaotic in a matter of minutes. The scenes of people running in fear, of wounded people with bloody faces and of children crying in the arms of their parents remained etched in the memory of those who witnessed it. The images of chaos, faced with a police force and private security apparently incapable of remedying the situation, went viral. The world was able to see people entering through the ventilation system ducts, others climbing high walls, some achieving their goal by running quickly so as not to be caught by law enforcement officers.
But amid the tears, helplessness and pain of those who were unable to attend the final despite having a very expensive ticket, and others who later appeared in the stands without paying a dollar, smiling and mainly dressed in yellow, blue and red, one question still resonates in the air: who is responsible for this mess?
CONMEBOL’s position
After the unexpected situation, statements were not long in coming. The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), as the organizing body of the Copa América, issued an official statement following the incidents that occurred in the final. In its statement, the entity explained that, although the organization of the event was under its responsibility, it was subject to the decisions made by the authorities of the Hard Rock Stadium, in accordance with the contractual responsibilities established for the security operation.
The regional football governing body also regretted that its procedures “tested in events of this magnitude” were not implemented by local authorities. “We recommend to these authorities the procedures tested in events of this magnitude, which were NOT taken into account. We regret that the acts of violence, provoked by malicious people, have marred a final that was destined to be a great sporting event,” added CONMEBOL.
The agency also said the problem arose when a crowd of ticketless fans gathered near the stadium, delaying the entry of ticketed spectators and forcing the closure of the gates.
Response to criticism
The response from Hard Rock Stadium was almost immediate. In a statement, spokespersons for the venue also mentioned the “hundreds of events” that have been held there, thereby addressing CONMEBOL’s criticism. They said that in preparations for the Copa América they worked jointly with CONMEBOL and CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football), trying to make it clear that in many cases they exceeded the “security recommendations” proposed by those entities.
“The parties met regularly, including daily security briefings throughout the month-long tournament. Hard Rock Stadium implemented, and in many cases exceeded, CONMEBOL’s security recommendations throughout the tournament and the final,” the statement to the press reads.
They pledged, “as we do after all major events,” to evaluate “the protocols and processes implemented across all aspects of stadium operations.” They thanked “law enforcement officers and stadium staff” who, in their view, “worked to prioritize the safety of all attendees despite the unprecedented scale of aggressive and unlawful behavior displayed by a subset of unruly fans.”
The stadium officials concluded their statement with the blunt statement, “We will not make any further comments at this time.” So far, neither CONMEBOL nor Hard Rock Stadium have acknowledged their responsibility in the events leading up to the final of the continental competition.
What the mayor said
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s office said the county police agency deployed more than 550 officers to handle a crowd of more than 65,000 ticket holders and those without tickets who gathered outside the stadium.
According to the county police report, at least 10 to 15 people were arrested. Many others, including journalists, were ejected from the sports venue. Significant damage was reported to an escalator and the entrance to the 72 Club. The chaos caused a delay of one hour and 22 minutes in the start of the match.
“We are outraged by the unprecedented events that took place tonight at the Copa America final,” said Levine Cava, echoing the statement from County Public Safety Chief James Reyes.
According to Levine Cava’s office, security responsibilities for the event fell to the Copa America organizers, CONMEBOL and “other law enforcement agencies.”
First demand
Days after the chaos, the first lawsuit against CONMEBOL and Hard Rock Stadium was filed. A family that was unable to access the stadium despite having tickets filed the lawsuit. They argued that they paid more than two thousand dollars for the tickets and were denied access to the stadium because thousands of people without tickets were allowed in.
The family’s lawyer, Irwin Ast, accused CONMEBOL and Hard Rock Stadium of negligence for failing to control the crowd, alleging that they “failed to ensure a safe environment” for those who paid for their tickets.
The lawsuit, based on Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, seeks $50,000 in damages, the attorney said.
While a ruling on this lawsuit is announced, after which other lawsuits by fans who were left wanting to see the Copa America final are announced, the question remains: who is responsible for the unfortunate incidents?
But, as an aggravating factor in this context, some are already beginning to express doubts about Miami-Dade’s ability to handle the seven matches of the 2026 World Cup, which will be played precisely at Hard Rock Stadium.
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@danielcastrope
