Violence strikes Liga MX
Football is described as "the beautiful game." It brings people together from all around the world for 90 minutes to enjoy the excitement of the game. The beautiful game is played in almost every country and is enjoyed by billions of people. Football sometimes also has a dark side. Violence. Violence can spoil the game for many, whether it be players, fans, owners, and even a country as a whole. At a time like this where peace is being preached by millions around the world, that is not what happened in the Liga Mx match between Queretaro vs Atlas game on Saturday night.
With the history between Atlas and Queretaro, this is no surprise. The rivalry between these two teams started in 2007 when Atlas defeated Queretaro on the last matchday of the season and relegated them to the 2nd division. After the match, the two fan bases met outside the stadium and began what would become years of violence between the two sides. In 2010, Queretaro got their revenge after they were promoted back to the first division and defeated Atlas in El Estadio Corregidora. The violence continued in the stands which left many injured and resulted in directors of both clubs agreeing to deny access to the fans of the visiting side. When the teams met again in 2013 to battle relegation, the match ended in a draw meaning Atlas would top Queretaro, but the violence continued. These fights were stopped by Jalisco police, but not before fans assaulted each other with bottles from the stadium.
Saturday’s match was suspended in the 62nd minute of the match when fights broke out between the two sides' fan bases. The fights started in the stands but quickly fled onto the field as the stadium gates were opened to allow fans, especially women and children, to flee the violence in the stands. The Atlas players quickly fled the field and ran to the tunnel as the Queretaro players. Few players stayed on the field, including the Queretaro goalkeeper, Washington Aguerre, who remained on the field to try to calm fans down.
When the violence spilled to the field, the chaos did not stop. Fans started destroying the netting off the goal, arming themselves with seats from the bench and anything else they could get their hands on. As of right now, unconfirmed reports are saying 17 people lost their lives and more than 20 people were seriously injured. Liga Mx officials refuse to acknowledge the deaths of these fans but condemn the violence that occurred in El Estadio Corregidora.
Where were the police? No one knows. According to Liga MX reports, there was a private security company in charge of the match that night, but they were also attacked by these raging fans that invaded the field. According to reports made by TUDN, three female personnel from this private security company were assaulted by these fans as they made their way to the other side of the field.
Many fans, reporters, and higher authorities are calling for the suspension of Queretaro and Atlas from Liga Mx. Others are pleading for the arrests of those who invaded the field. Fans are even calling for Mexico to be banned from the 2022 FIFA World Cup as well as losing their hosting rights to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Liga Mx has yet to make sanctions or set out fines as new reports are coming out by the day.