Uruguayan Football Remains Suspended Amidst Violence and Official Talks

Uruguayan football is currently at a standstill after the players' union decided to halt all activities. The suspension follows a violent incident that occurred during a Second Division match, prompting authorities to convene meetings to analyze the path forward.

On Tuesday, Uruguay's Minister of the Interior, Carlos Negro, met with representatives from the Uruguayan Professional Footballers' Mutual Association and the Uruguayan Football Association. According to the Ministry, Negro reaffirmed his commitment to collaborating on eradicating violence in sports events.

Sources from the players' association emphasized to the EFE agency the shared desire to find solutions to the ongoing problem of violence. The recent incident involved a match between Rentistas and Cerrito in the Second Professional Division, which concluded with violent altercations outside the stadium.

Following the events, Rentistas announced its decision to file criminal and administrative complaints against the police operation, citing physical aggression by police officers against player Jean Martínez. The club stated that the footballer sustained injuries as a result of what they described as "disproportionate violence."

This incident is under review by the Ministry of the Interior, and participants in Tuesday's meeting also discussed it. In response to the violence, the players' association announced the cessation of activities last Saturday, leading to the postponement of the remaining matches in both the Second and First Divisions.

With only one match remaining in the Intermediary Tournament, several games were postponed, including Central Español-Cerro Largo, Cerro-Racing, Montevideo City Torque-Danubio, and Defensor Sporting-Liverpool. Despite the domestic suspension, teams have continued their international commitments, with Nacional playing Tigre of Argentina in the Copa Sudamericana on Tuesday.