Uruguay’s Nunez banned for five games over Copa America incidents

• Published On: 28 August 2024 at 19:41

Darwin Núñez, a Uruguayan striker for Liverpool, has been banned for five matches and fined by CONMEBOL for his involvement in a brawl during the Copa América semi-finals.

Four more players have been suspended, making a total of 11 players sanctioned as a result of the investigation into the violence at the end of Uruguay's match against Colombia in Charlotte.

Núñez was among the players who entered the stands at the Bank of America Stadium and exchanged punches with fighting fans during the chaotic end of the game.

The forward received the harshest punishment, while others were suspended for four matches or less and fined.



Rodrigo Bentancur, a Tottenham midfielder, was suspended for four matches, while defenders Mathías Olivera, Ronald Araújo, and José María Giménez were each banned for three.

Núñez was fined $20,000, while the remaining players received fines ranging from $16,000 to $5,000.

Six other players received only fines.

Additionally, the Uruguayan Football Federation was fined $20,000, which will be deducted from revenue and prize money.

Uruguay central defender Giménez stated that players had joined the fight out of concern for the safety of family members and loved ones who were watching the game in that section of the stands.

The punishments are appealable, but the CONMEBOL statement did not specify when the suspensions, which apply to CONMEBOL-organized games rather than domestic competitions, would begin.

Uruguay will play a friendly against Guatemala in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Sunday before preparing for World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay at home on September 6 and Venezuela away on September 10.

Colombia won 1-0 but lost in the final to Argentina.