A Chilean woman was injured when approximately 200 Chilean fans stormed the Maracana media centre around an hour before kick-off, in the World Cup clash between Chile and Spain on Wednesday in Rio.
The fans charged through security checkpoints before smashing down a glass door according to witnesses. They then invaded the working room running around the journalists’ workplace looking for access to the stadium, before police were called.
“A group of individuals without tickets violently forced entry into the stadium, breaking fences and overrunning security,” world soccer’s governing body FIFA said.
“They were contained by the security and did not make it to the seats. The situation was brought under control quickly and at least 85 intruders were detained according to the military police of Rio de Janeiro.
The Brazilian federal police later on Wednesday said that it will give three days for those fans to leave the country or face deportation.
The ugly scenes from issues affecting matters of football mostly witnessed in Europeans leagues, continued to follow suit when in another incident, it was alleged that Cameroonian players were abused racially during their 13th of June, match against Mexico.
Football’s world governing body has started disciplinary proceedings against Mexico after claims of racist chants from their fans during their World Cup match against the indomitable lions last Friday.
Sources from FIFA said they were also looking into alleged discrimination by fans from Brazil, Russia and Croatia.
It shall also be remembered that Just a month before the World Cup kicked off in Brazil, European football’s governing body UEFA condemned and slammed racist attacks in Spain and called for action after fans subjected foreign players to monkey taunts and banana-throwing.
The football governing body is also believed to be looking into reports of homophobic chanting by Brazil’s supporters.
Elsewhere anti-Semitic and racist banners were displayed by followers of Croatia and Russia, as FIFA once again found itself under fire from critics on how the world’s most popular sport is supposed to bring the world together under one roof.
Author: Shadrack Andenga Odinga