Caracas- The Venezuelan Football Federation (FVF) has strongly denounced the reported mistreatment of one of its national team players, Nahuel Ferraresi, by Peruvian police following the World Cup qualifier between Venezuela and Peru in Lima. The match ended in a 1-1 draw on Tuesday.
According to Ferraresi, his left hand sustained injuries when he was struck twice by a baton-wielding Peruvian police officer while attempting to approach Venezuelan fans in the stands after the game. Videos of the incident have circulated on local media outlets.
In response to these allegations, the FVF released a statement on Wednesday expressing its condemnation of the incident. The federation declared, “Our federation will not tolerate, in or outside of Venezuela’s borders, any degrading treatment toward our players, coaching staff, or fans.” The statement emphasized the FVF’s strong stance against both verbal and physical aggression.
The FVF further criticized what it described as migration compliance checks that Venezuelan fans were reportedly subjected to for entry into the stadium. The federation’s social media accounts also raised concerns about the delay in obtaining authorization for its team’s airplane to refuel and depart from Lima.
Contrary to the FVF’s claim, the Peruvian foreign ministry refuted any restrictions on refueling the aircraft. A ministry source informed Reuters that the plane departed in the afternoon without facing impediments.
The incident has sparked discussions about the need for sports events to be conducted with respect for the well-being and safety of all participants, irrespective of their nationalities. The FVF’s condemnation adds to the growing call for increased awareness and action to address such incidents in international sporting competitions.
