EXPLAINED: Why Uruguay players rushed to fight Colombia fans in Copa America 2024?

During the Copa America 2024 semifinals, Colombia edged Uruguay 1-0 on Wednesday night thanks to a header from Jefferson Lerma following a cross from James Rodriguez.

Following the game, fans of Uruguay and Colombia got into a fight in the stands. Darwin Nunez, a forward for Liverpool, is thought to have been at the core of it. According to the Associated Press, Nunez and his companions ascended a staircase and entered the throng. The officers needed over ten minutes to get everything back in order. Even after the public address speaker requested the people to leave the venue, a few persisted.

Over 20 minutes following the final whistle being blown, about 100 Uruguayan supporters and federation employees were still on the field as Colombian supporters left to celebrate their win. Replays of the game showed players and spectators fighting, seemingly involving several persons in an encounter. Thrown between each other were also items like food, drinks, along with what the FOX broadcast team called "punches."

In the tournament's third-place match, Uruguay will play Canada on Saturday night, while Colombia will play Argentina in the final on Sunday. Lionel Messi's team is representing Colombia. It is unclear how CONMEBOL and each individual side will handle the postgame altercation and whether any sanctions would be applied.

Jose Maria Gimenez reveals why the altercation began

In an interview with the media team after the game against Colombia, José Maria Gimenez claimed that a mob of Colombian supporters had encircled the players' families. He called for adjustments from the event's organiser, pointing out that the families of the Uruguayan players were at risk for security.

If this story is anywhere close to being true, then there will be a lot of questions for the authorities and organising committee to answer prior to the final matches of the Copa America 2024. There will surely be an investigation but what remains to be seen is whether there will be any consequences for either the Uruguay players or the Colombia fans, who got involved in this massive brawl at the Bank of America Stadium.