At Miami Gardens, Florida’s Hard Rock Stadium, during the 2024 Copa América final between Argentina and Colombia, fans without tickets attempted to flood the stadium, creating a violent situation. A delay of 82 minutes caused the baby to safely and successfully enter the contest as law enforcement attempted to manage the rowdy crowd. Social media users shared videos of individuals in distress amidst the pandemonium, barriers crumbling, and weeping toddlers. The South American soccer governing body, CONMEBOL, claimed its suggestions were not followed and blamed Hard Rock Stadium for the security breach. Over 800 policemen from the Miami-Dade Police Department were called in to handle the situation, which led to 55 ejections and 27 arrests. In addition, the stadium suffered significant damage from fights between supporters and police, fences being broken down, and property being vandalized.
In a statement, Hard Rock Stadium acknowledged the “unlawful and unsafe behavior” and said they would evaluate their security procedures to make sure that instances like this didn’t happen again. Additionally, they volunteered to handle specific issues raised by ticket holders who were unable to access the game because of the pandemic. The incident calls into question the security protocols at large athletic events and emphasizes the need for improved ticketing and crowd management practices to guarantee everyone’s enjoyment and safety.
“ConmebOL was subject to the decisions made by the authorities of Hard Rock Stadium in this particular instance
By the duties outlined in contracts for security operations. Apart from the arrangements specified in this agreement, CONMEBOL suggested to these agencies the protocols validated in incidents of this kind, which were overlooked. We regret that a final that was set to be a fantastic sports celebration was marred by acts of violence committed by malevolent individuals. There was mayhem at the Copa America Final, and spectators would stop at nothing to gain entry. Fans enter the Copa America final through stadium vents in a crazy scenario. About the pregame disturbance, 55 people were removed from the stadium, and 27 arrests were made, according to a statement from Miami-Dade Police. The CONMEBOL statement has not received a public response from Hard Rock Stadium; however, the venue did announce earlier that it has collaborated with CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, and local law enforcement authorities to establish a security plan. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava expressed her displeasure at the dramatic scenes that were broadcast around the globe and criticized them.
At Hard Rock Stadium, fans pressed up against the gates ahead of Argentina vs. Colombia in the Copa America Finals. Before Argentina and Colombia play in the Copa America Finals at Hard Rock Stadium, fans press up against the gates. She released a statement that read, “Let’s be clear: This situation should never have taken place and cannot happen again.” “To put in place the necessary procedures and policies for all future games, we will work with stadium leadership to ensure that a full review of tonight’s events takes place immediately to evaluate the full chain of events.”
Uruguay stormed into the Charlotte stadium after their semifinal loss to protect family members from rowdy Colombian supporters
After experiencing disappointment during the Copa America, Colombian soccer supporters maintain their cheerful outlook. Supporters sporting both teams’ uniforms began to run in different directions, some of them with kids on their shoulders. Few police officers or stadium personnel could be spotted among the crowd, and tickets were not being scanned. A few spectators began scaling barriers to gain entry. A fan waving a Colombian flag was observed by three police officers handcuffing him on the ramp leading to the stadium’s seats. Claudio, an Argentine fan who came to the game from Mendoza, described how hard it was for him to breathe while the police tried to control the mayhem. “They are unable to arrange a World Cup! That isn’t feasible,” Claudio stated in Spanish. “People were breathing heavily for hours while wedged up against the fence. An elderly man was left without water; observe him (pointing to his small son). Nothing, not even water.”
Through an interpreter, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni remarked, “It is difficult to explain what happened before the game.” “We had players that waited for an hour to enter the stadium with their families. Without knowing the whereabouts of our family members, we had to light a match. The Colombian players, in my opinion, were experiencing the same thing. It was really strange.” In a statement following the match, Hard Rock Stadium stated that it “takes pride in hosting world-class events year-round safely and successfully.” During the Copa America final, the venue stated that it collaborated with local law enforcement agencies, CONMEBOL, and CONCACAF. Law enforcement and security personnel were stationed at and around the stadium in greater numbers—”more than double the personnel”—than the stadium typically has for an ordinary event as part of the security precautions. “We acknowledge that there are disgruntled ticket holders who were unable to access the stadium following the perimeter’s closure,” the stadium stated. “We will collaborate with CONMEBOL to tackle those specific issues.” The health and safety of all visitors and employees is the most important item, and it will always come first.
Leave a Reply