CAS upholds bans on Uruguay players after Copa America brawl

The Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected an appeal on Tuesday by several Uruguay players and the country’s football association (AUF) against disciplinary sanctions imposed by CONMEBOL following a brawl during last year’s Copa America semi-final against Colombia.

The South American football governing body fined the AUF and the players for their involvement in a fight between Colombia fans and Uruguay supporters.

After Colombia sealed a 1-0 victory in the Copa semi-final, Uruguay players climbed into the stands and exchanged blows with opposition fans.

CAS dismissed the appeal to cancel or reduce the suspensions, ruling that the players’ self-defence argument – they claimed to have intervened to protect family members present near the confrontation – did not constitute legitimate defence.

“The panel found that, in this case, the principle of self-defence does not apply, and that the players’ conduct constituted voluntary, violent, and unjustified action,” CAS said in a statement.

CAS noted that in October it accepted a request from Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez and the AUF for the sanctions to be provisionally suspended.

Nunez missed two South American qualifiers in September before the sanctions were provisionally suspended. He now faces the remainder of his five-match ban and a $20,000 fine.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was handed a four-match ban, which he has served, and a $16,000 fine.

Matias Olivera, Ronald Araujo and captain Jose Maria Gimenez were given three-match suspensions, which they have also served, and fines totalling $12,000.

The AUF was also fined $20,000 and players Sebastian Caceres, Brian Rodriguez, Matias Vina, Emiliano Martinez, Santiago Mele and Facundo Pellistri were each fined $5,000.