Colombia national team head coach Nestor Lorenzo said Hard Rock Stadium Security Breach influenced his players before Defeat in the final of Copa America 2024 ARRIVE Argentina on Sunday night, labeling the situation “worrying.”
Hours before kick-off, fans without tickets stormed the southwest gate of the venue, leading to several people being tackled and arrested by police and security. A stadium security guard confirmed to ESPN that the southwest gate was closed due to the breach, before the entire venue was locked down.
“Imagine, from the dressing room, trying to communicate with family members, with friends, to see if they are in trouble, it’s too much. So it’s chaos. We try to keep the team calm, but there is still anxiety,” Lorenzo said after the match.
“Imagine the schedule for the day of the final, everything is minute by minute, breakfast, lunch, team talk, getting on the bus, arriving and then you have to say: ‘No, we have to wait half an hour, no, 45 minutes, no, an hour.’
“Everything is upside down. I repeat, it happens to both teams. It’s a complaint, not a cry.”
After fans passed through the gates, the pre-match warm-up ended abruptly as players were forced off the field and into the locker rooms. The match eventually started 75 minutes behind schedule.
“They warmed up, got cold, warmed up again and then the first half was longer,” Lorenzo added.
“Strange things, for both sides but the less experienced team felt it more. No need to complain or anything, but I said that this can affect the physicality and in general, the tension will be felt more by the less experienced people in events like this.”
Organisers confirmed all gates were open to avoid any serious injuries and the risk of a stampede. Hard Rock Stadium released a statement after the final, blaming “chaotic fans” for the disruption.
“Prepare [for the final] including increased law enforcement and security personnel, with double the number of personnel compared to a typical event at a full-capacity stadium,” the report said.
“Throughout the afternoon and evening, there were multiple ticketless fans attempting to bypass security and law enforcement at stadium entry points, putting themselves, other fans, security personnel and the stadium in extreme danger.
“Many stadium gates were strategically closed and reopened to allow ticketed guests to enter the stadium in a safe and controlled manner. Fans continued to engage in illegal behavior — fighting with police, breaking down walls and barriers, vandalizing the stadium, causing significant damage to property.
“When it became clear that it was unsafe to start the match at 8 p.m., a joint decision was made to postpone it. Shortly after 8 p.m., stadium officials, CONMEBOL, CONCACAF and law enforcement officials conferred and decided to briefly open the stadium gates to all fans to prevent a stampede and serious injuries in the outside area.
“We will continue to work with law enforcement to identify and hold accountable the criminals who committed illegal acts tonight. It is disappointing that a night of celebration was marred by illegal and unsafe behavior, and we will be fully reviewing the procedures and protocols in place tonight and working with law enforcement to ensure such an incident never happens again.”
Argentina beat Colombia with a goal in extra time Lautaro Martinez at 112 minutes, see Albiceleste become consecutive Copa América champions.
