Hard Rock Stadium officials hit back after CONMEBOL blames them for Copa America final mess

CONMEBOL, the soccer federation that organized Copa America 2024, has blamed Hard Rock Stadium officials and local authorities in a pointed statement, following a series of fans without tickets breaching security measures before the tournament’s final on Sunday.

“CONMEBOL was subject to the decisions made by the Hard Rock Stadium authorities, according to the contractual responsibilities established for security operations, the organization said in a statement released late Monday afternoon.

“In addition to the preparations determined in this contract, CONMEBOL recommended to these authorities the procedures proven in events of this magnitude, which were NOT taken into account.

“We regret that the acts of violence caused by malicious individuals have tarnished a final that was ready to be a great sports celebration,” the statement concluded.

Hard Rock Stadium responds to CONMEBOL's statement

Hard Rock Stadium responded to CONMEBOL’s statement on Tuesday, with a statement saying the stadium “implemented, and in many cases exceeded, CONMEBOL's security recommendations” throughout the Copa America tournament and final.

“Hard Rock Stadium has safely hosted hundreds of world-class events in its 37-year history, including Super Bowls, major international soccer matches, Formula 1, NFL and college football, headline concert tours and other global events. In each of those, security was a joint effort amongst the organizer, local law enforcement agencies and the venue,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

“As we've previously said, Hard Rock Stadium worked collaboratively with CONMEBOL, CONCACAF and local law enforcement agencies on security both leading up to and during the Copa America tournament. The agencies met regularly, including daily security briefings throughout the month-long tournament. Hard Rock Stadium implemented, and in many cases exceeded, CONMEBOL's security recommendations throughout the tournament and the Final.

“As we do following all major events, we will evaluate the protocols and processes in place across all aspects of stadium operations. We remain grateful for the law enforcement officers and stadium staff who worked to prioritize the safety of all attendees despite the unprecedented scale of aggressive and unlawful behavior on display from a subset of unruly fans. We will have no further comment at this time.”

OPINION: Ugly Copa America scenes put pressure on FIFA, US stadiums to ensure safe World Cup

What happened before the Copa America final?

The Copa America final saw 27 people arrested and 55 people ejected from Hard Rock Stadium, Miami-Dade Police Department said in a press release. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue told USA TODAY Sports it responded to 120 incidents, including 116 medical-related matters during the event in and around the stadium, which is the regular home for the NFL's Miami Dolphins.

There were no deaths after fans crowded outside the stadium gates stampeded before the match, MDPD officer Luis Sierra told USA TODAY Sports.

Still, the stampeding of fans outside the Hard Rock Stadium gates created an ugly scene before the Copa America final, which Lionel Messi and Argentina won 1-0 against Colombia.

A Hard Rock Stadium spokesperson’s statement said stadium officials, in conjunction with CONMEBOL and CONCACAF and local law enforcement, decided opening the gates to let everyone in to avoid further stampedes of fans was the best choice of action.

But the stadium was forced to close its gates for the rest of the match after the mass entrance, which meant that fans who purchased tickets for the Copa America final missed the game.

“We understand there are disappointed ticket holders who were not able to enter the stadium after the perimeter was closed, and we will work in partnership with CONMEBOL to address those individual concerns. Ultimately, there is nothing more important than the health and safety of all guests and staff, and that will always remain our priority,” a Hard Rock Stadium spokesman said in a statement.

“It is disappointing that a night of celebration was impacted by unlawful and unsafe behavior, and we will fully review the processes and protocols in place tonight, and work with law enforcement to ensure such an event never happens again.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: CONMEBOL blames Hard Rock Stadium for ugly Copa America final scenes