July 01, (THEWILL) – Marcelo Bielsa, the coach of Uruguay’s national football team, has been handed a one-match suspension by CONMEBOL, following his team’s late arrival on the pitch for their Copa América match against Bolivia. The incident occurred before Uruguay’s 5-0 victory on Thursday, violating tournament regulations regarding timely field entry.
CONMEBOL, South America’s football governing body, stated on Sunday, announcing the suspension. In addition to Bielsa’s ban, the Uruguayan Football Association has been fined $15,000 for failing to comply with articles 104 and 145 of the tournament’s rules. These articles specifically address the requirement for teams to take the field at the scheduled start and restart times.
As a result of the suspension, Bielsa will be absent from the sidelines during Uruguay’s crucial final Group C match against the United States. The game is set to take place on Monday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. In Bielsa’s absence, his assistant coach Pablo Quiroga will assume managerial duties in the dugout.
This disciplinary action marks the fourth instance of a coach being suspended for the same reason in the 2024 Copa América. Prior to Bielsa, Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni, Chile’s Ricardo Gareca, and Venezuela’s Fernando Batista all faced similar punishments for late pitch arrivals.
The suspension comes at a critical juncture for Uruguay, as they prepare to face the tournament hosts in a match that could determine their progression in the competition. The outcome of this encounter will likely shape Uruguay’s path in the knockout stages of the Copa América.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
