Dirty TackleDTotD: Uruguay bans football for 10 days after goalkeeper punches riot cop
Uruguay took the measure of banning football for 10 days after violence in and around a match between Penarol and Nacional, including Nacional goalkeeper Jorge Bava getting arrested for punching a riot cop in the face.
From Reuters:
Uruguayan Football Association president Sebastian Bauza announced the ban after the incident at the end of Wednesday's "clasico" between arch-rivals Penarol and Nacional at the Centenario.
A young man was also still in intensive care after being shot during fighting between the teams' rival hooligan gangs in a street close to the Centenario in Montevideo before kickoff.
"We have agreed (with the Interior ministry) that we have to take decisions and send out signals that there are limits that must be respected," Bauza told a news conference.
"The acts that occurred outside and inside the Centenario stadium must not be repeated," he said at Thursday's announcement of the ban.
The riot police were protecting the referee from protesting Nacional players after the match ended, when Bava alleges he was hit by the cops' equipment. This prompted him to punch one of them in the face, and a judge watching the match on TV called the police precinct under the stadium and had Bava arrested. Seriously.
Bava spent a night in jail, but reportedly apologized for his actions.
Though it's only 10 days, the country's timeout from football is an interesting gesture. Could this be what other places with football violence issues need to put things in perspective? At the very least, Bava's punch proves that goalkeepers really are insane.
Thanks to @andrellv for the tip!
