Liverpool striker Darwin Núñez noticed his five-game worldwide ban upheld on Monday after the Court docket of Arbitration for Sport rejected an enchantment from the Uruguay federation over punishments handed out following a brawl at their 2024 Copa América semifinal in opposition to Colombia.
The ruling implies that Núñez and 4 teammates should miss La Celeste‘s subsequent three CONMEBOL qualifying matches, which shall be in opposition to Paraguay and Venezuela within the June doubleheader and the subsequent match in opposition to Peru in September.
The ahead might probably return to the Uruguayan crew on Sept. 13 in opposition to Chile in Santiago for the ultimate matchday of the qualifiers.
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur should serve his four-game suspension whereas José María Giménez, Mathías Olivera and Ronald Araújo should every serve a three-game ban.
CAS denied the appeals from the gamers and the federation within the case that challenged CONMEBOL’s determination to high-quality the gamers for violence in opposition to followers throughout the 2024 Copa América semifinal.
The gamers and federation tried to annul all fines and suspensions associated to the incident below “the precept of self-defence,” however CAS dominated in favor of CONMEBOL.
Following Uruguay’s 1-0 loss to Colombia at Charlotte, North Carolina, final summer time, the gamers listed within the enchantment course of went into the stands and took part in violent conduct in opposition to opposing supporters. Although Giménez mentioned that the gamers jumped in to defend their households, CONMEBOL launched an unbiased investigation and located the individuals responsible.
“The enchantment by the Gamers and the AUF was subsequently heard remotely on 28 March 2025. Having heard the submissions of all Events, the CAS Panel thought of the Gamers’ argument that they acted below the precept of self-defence, as family of the Uruguayan soccer crew have been located in the identical sector the place the altercation with Colombian followers occurred,” CAS mentioned in a press release relating to the ruling.
“The Panel discovered that on this case, the precept of self-defence doesn’t apply and that the conduct of the Gamers constituted a voluntary, violent and unjustified motion, which was in violation of the CONMEBOL Disciplinary Code. Accordingly, the enchantment has been dismissed and the Appealed Resolution, together with the sanctions on Gamers and the AUF, has been upheld in full.”
Bentancur was additionally fined $16,000 whereas the Uruguay federation was issued a $20,000 high-quality.
