Mexican football team Queretaro slapped with fan ban, owners ordered to sell club after violent brawl

By Mutlu Demirtastan

ISTANBUL (AA) – Mexican football club Queretaro have been ordered to play their home matches behind closed doors for a year after a violent brawl during a weekend league match left at least 26 people injured.

Queretaro fans will also be barred from away games for three years, the Mexican Football Federation and Liga MX said late on Tuesday.

Queretaro’s current management has been banned from Mexican football for five years and the owners must sell the club before the end of the year.

If the sale is not completed by the deadline, Liga MX will take over the club.

Queretaro will pay a fine of about $70,000 and has been forced to forfeit Saturday’s match to Atlas.

Atlas fan groups have also been banned from away matches for six months.

Several measures will be enforced to beef up security at stadiums across Mexico, including deployment of state and local police instead of private guards, facial recognition systems and mandatory identification checks.

At least 14 people have been arrested since Saturday’s violence, while authorities say three of the over two dozen people injured are in critical condition.

* Writing by Can Erozden​​​​​​​​​​​​​​