22 Cerro Porteño fans sanctioned over unrest at Paraguayan superclásico

Twenty-two Cerro Porteño supporters have been barred from sporting events for between five and 10 years after violence disrupted Paraguay’s superclásico against Olimpia on April 19.

The Interior Ministry also fined each of the fans 11.7 million guaraníes, about $1,960. Olimpia must pay an additional 117 million guaraníes, roughly $19,663, because it organized the match at Defensores del Chaco stadium.

The game ended after only 30 minutes when clashes broke out in the stands between riot police and Cerro Porteño supporters. Adolfo Jara Hein, head of the Interior Ministry’s Directorate for the Prevention and Control of Violence in Sport, announced the penalties at a news conference.

“

physical assaults on police personnel

The sanctions came from a summary-investigation court made up of Interior Ministry officials. The body operates under Law 7269/24 to punish those responsible for violence at sporting events.

Authorities identified the 22 supporters through closed-circuit footage provided by the National Police. Marcelo González, an adviser to the ministry’s sports-violence directorate, said the images showed “physical assaults on police personnel” and people “throwing projectiles” at officers. The unrest inside and outside the stadium left at least 72 people injured and 63 detained.

The Paraguayan Football Association had already punished Cerro Porteño in April by ordering it to play two matches without spectators and awarding Olimpia the three points from the superclásico. The association also fined Cerro Porteño 115,961,920 guaraníes, about $19,691, and Olimpia 86,971,440 guaraníes, or approximately $14,018.

“

throwing projectiles