Ramon Jesurun, president of the Colombian soccer federation, was arrested in the chaos surrounding the Copa America final on Sunday in Miami. He is facing three felony counts of battery on a specified official or employee, according to Miami's ABC affiliate, WPLG.
The event in question appears to have taken place during the final, which Jesurun's Colombia squad lost to Argentina 1-0. The match was plagued by problems that began hours before it kicked off at Hard Rock Stadium. Fans without tickets broke through security and filled the stands, which later caused overcrowding when ticketed customers arrived. Kickoff was delayed by more than an hour as officials attempted to sort out the scene.
Jesurun's son, Ramon Jamil Jesurun, was booked just after him on the same charges. According to a Miami-Dade Police Department arrest report, Jesurun and his son fought multiple security guards after the match ended at around 12:20 a.m. ET.
WPLG reports, "Both father and son 'became irate' at a guard and began 'shouting' at him, police said. The arrest report states the altercation became physical after a security guard asked the men, 'yelling in (the guard’s) face,' to step back and placed a palm on the younger Jesurún’s chest to 'guide him back.'
"That led the elder Jesurún to step forward and push the guard, police said; his son then followed up by grabbing the guard’s neck and punching him. According to the arrest report, that guard later required hospitalization at Jackson North Medical Center in North Miami Beach."
They also fought other security guards who attempted to break up the melee.
Head of Colombian Football Federation Ramon Jesurun & his 43yo son were arrested after Colombia’s loss to Argentina. Jesurun, who is also VP of CONMEBOL, missed the award ceremony following alleged altercation with staff. A chaotic night to the very end.pic.twitter.com/PCxFudIQMq
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) July 15, 2024
The end of the 2024 Copa America tournament was wild and chaotic. This just adds to the craziness surrounding it.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Colombia Soccer Federation Head Arrested in Copa America Final Chaos.
