Corinthians have released a statement on their official website announcing their intention to appeal the ban handed to their fans after the tragic death of a 14-year-old boy, Kevin Beltran Espada, during the club’s tie against San José in Bolivia.
Directors have annouced their intention to appeal to Conmebol to overturn their decision as it unfairly affects the 80,000 fans who have bought tickets for the closed-door games.
This comes after Espada was struck by a flare fired from among the Brazilian supporters and authorities swiftly moved to deal with the incident.
The initial punishment, which will be in place until the conclusion of an investigation which could take up to 60 days, forces Corinthians to play home ties behind closed doors. For away ties, the club will be prohibited their ticket allocation.
The official statement in full:
The directors of Sport Club Corinthians hereby informs its fans that they will resort to all legal remedies to alter a decision imposed by Conmebol, on Thursday, Feb. 21.
Corinthians assesses that the punishment imposed is unjust, in that it directly undermines the right of innocents.
As it hurts not only the club, but mainly over 80 thousand fans who will lose the right to attend matches, already bought in advance, and they do not deserve such punishment.
The directors of Corinthians makes it clear that it relies on Conmebol’s common sense and their disciplinary bodies to provide justice.
Finally, the fans who bought tickets in advance, the Board believes it will overturn the decision and asks everyone to wait until next Wednesday for further information.
Source: Terra
