17 sent off in brutal Copa Bolivia brawl as Police deploy tear gas

A violent confrontation erupted after a South American cup match, leading to 17 men being expelled and police deploying tear gas to restore order.

The chaos unfolded following a tense draw between Bolivian sides Blooming and Real Oruro in the Copa Bolivia quarter-finals, a result that saw Blooming advance despite playing away.

Instead of celebrating their qualification, tempers boiled over, punches were thrown, and several players had to be restrained.

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Local reports indicate that Oruro’s standout player Sebastian Zeballos repeatedly had to be held back by opponents before he eventually broke free and pushed several players. His teammate Julio Vila also lost control, allegedly throwing the first punches that ignited the mass brawl.

Head coach Marcelo Robledo was equally furious and is believed to have confronted a member of the Bolivian national team’s technical staff.

Robledo was pushed during the confrontation and fell heavily, with reports stating he was later hospitalised with a shoulder injury and a blow to the head. It took 20 police officers to intervene and disperse the escalating violence using tear gas.

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Blooming coach Mauricio Soria quickly ordered his players into the dressing room to defuse the situation. According to the official match report, seven Blooming players and four from Oruro were shown red cards.

Coaching staff and their assistants from both clubs were also dismissed, bringing the astonishing total to 17 expulsions.

At least six players now face tournament bans following Blooming’s progression to the semi-finals. Those cited for violent conduct include Gabriel Valverde, Richet Gomez, Franco Posse, Roberto Melgar, Cesar Romero, and Luis Suarez.

Forward Cesar Menacho received a red card for abusive language from the sidelines and was later seen participating in the brawl.

For Oruro, Raul Gomez, Julio Vila, Yerco Vallejos, and Eduardo Alvarez were all dismissed. Surprisingly, Zeballos, who reportedly sparked the melee, escaped immediate sanction.

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Additional punishments are likely once referee Renan Castillo submits his supplementary report to the Sports Disciplinary Tribunal.

This is not the first time these teams have been embroiled in violence. Blooming were involved in another on-field fight against Bolivar only weeks earlier.

It also marks the second occasion an Oruro match has spilt onto their athletics track; last year, they were caught up in chaotic scenes during their relegation play-off against Royal Pari.