The final tournament of El Salvador’s football championship has been canceled for safety reasons after 12 people were killed in a stadium riot on Saturday, the national modality federation announced this Thursday.
“We have taken the decision to declare the 2022/2023 football championship in El Salvador closed,” the federation said in a statement, explaining that the decision, taken jointly with the clubs, was taken “in view of the need to guarantee the security conditions of the sports facilities.”
The El Salvadoran Football Federation (FESFUT) clarified that due to the suspension “there will be no champion of the tournament” and will propose that the champion and runner-up last season represent the country in the North American Confederation of Central and Caribbean Football (CONCACAF) competitions.
The suspension of the competition caused discontent among the country’s footballers, who, in a joint communiqué called United Players, called on FESFUT to “reconsider the decision” and respect the right to work.
Football players understand that the end of the championship is a “hasty measure” and are convinced that security problems in stadiums “can be found immediately.”
On Saturday, 12 people died and 500 were injured in a riot at the Cuscatlán stadium during a game between Alianza and FAZ CD.
Alianza was held responsible for the incidents on Tuesday and sentenced by FESFUT to one year behind closed doors.
The incidents were caused by the sale of excessive or counterfeit tickets, as many people tried to break into the 35,000-seat stadium, authorities said.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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