Marcelo Bielsa, the coach of Uruguay, has been suspended by Copa America organisers CONMEBOL and will miss the game with the United States on Monday.
Former Leeds United boss Bielsa has been punished by South American football’s governing body for a delay in Uruguay’s players entering the field in their Group C game with Bolivia on Thursday.
Players were late to return from the locker room to start the second half at MetLife Stadium with the score 2-0. They went on to win the game 5-0 to move closer to a place in the quarterfinals.
The Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) has also been fined $15,000 and warned of the consequences of any future infractions.
Assistant coach Diego Reyes will take Bielsa’s place on the sidelines at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City.
“These regulatory sanctions are never well received because it is something negative,” Reyes told reporters in a news conference on Sunday.
“We took the necessary precautions in the last game and the one before it, but there were still a couple of unexpected events that could not be resolved. It’s a regulatory restriction and we need to take it as it comes.”
CONMEBOL’s regulations for the tournament state teams must “strictly respect the schedule set for the start of the game” and should follow the match delegate’s instructions for a “timely entrance to the field of play”.
They also indicate that for any infringement “the coach of the team concerned shall in all cases be held responsible.”
Bielsa and the AUF were issued with a warning after a delay against Panama in their opening game before a repeat offence against Bolivia triggered disciplinary action.
CONMEBOL is clamping down on hold ups to the start and restarting of play and has punished and fined a number of coaches and federations at the tournament being held in the U.S.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni and opposite number Ricardo Gareca were suspended for their final game of Group A on Saturday while Venezuela coach Fernando Batista will miss Sunday night’s match with Jamaica.
Uruguay will advance to the quarterfinals with a draw on Monday night. The USMNT must match or better Panama’s result against Bolivia if they are to progress.
GO DEEPER
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(Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Christine Lake is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. With an extensive background in sports journalism, he covers everything from major league championships to grassroots sports events. When she’s not on the field or at the stadium, you’ll find Christine coaching youth sports teams.
