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Accusations against Ramón Jesurún dismissed: FCF president breathes a sigh of relief

An unexpected twist in the plot that has kept Colombian football on edge: Ramón Jesurún, the president of the Colombian Football Federation (FCF), will no longer face charges in the United States. A Miami judge on Monday dismissed assault charges against him following a controversial incident at the Copa America final on July 15.

The story began at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium as Argentina and Colombia met in a Copa America final that was not only fraught with footballing tension, but also off-field mayhem. At the end of the match, which Argentina won 1-0, chaos broke out. Thousands of ticketless fans stormed the stadium, breaking through the security barriers and causing monumental disorder. In the midst of this mayhem, Jesurún and his son, Ramón Jamil Jesurún, were involved in an altercation with stadium security guards.

According to the police report, the incident occurred when the Jesurúns tried to enter an area reserved for the press. A security guard reportedly blocked their way, which led to a confrontation. Ramón Jamil, Jesurún's son, was accused of physically assaulting a guard and confronting another member of the stadium's security staff. In videos captured by police body cameras, the FCF president can be seen being handcuffed, as he shouted in frustration, ‘They are ending my career!’

Jesurún and his son spent a night in Miami-Dade County jail cells before being released the next day after posting $2,000 bail each. Upon their release, both made statements to the local press, claiming that the problem arose because a guard refused to recognise their credentials, which they said gave them full access to all areas of the stadium.

Monday's hearing in Miami was decisive for Ramón Jesurún. The judge, after reviewing the evidence presented and hearing the defence's arguments, decided to dismiss the charges against him. ‘There is insufficient evidence to proceed with these charges,’ the judge said, meaning that Jesurún, 71, will face no further legal consequences for the incident.

However, the situation for his son is different. Ramón Jamil has yet to appear in court on 11 November, where he will face charges of assault and aggravated assault. Uncertainty about his legal future remains, and this case could have significant repercussions for the Jesurún family and the FCF.

The chaos on the day of the final was not limited to the Jesurúns' confrontation with stadium security. Hours before kick-off, hundreds of people without tickets had stormed the venue, scaling fences and forcing their way into the stadium in a stampede that forced the authorities to close the gates and delay the start of the match. The scenes were like something out of an action movie: fans running through the corridors, jumping over barriers, and some even trying to enter through the ventilation ducts.

This chaos not only prevented many fans with valid tickets from gaining access to the stadium, but also led to dangerous situations, with people fainting in the heat and others being injured in the human avalanches. Miami-Dade authorities have launched a thorough investigation to understand how the situation could have gotten out of control so quickly.

Although Ramón Jesurún can breathe a sigh of relief for now, the shadow of this incident remains long. The FCF has avoided making official comments until all legal aspects of the case, especially that of Ramón Jamil, are resolved. This episode, which mixes sport, disorder and judicial drama, still has several chapters to be written, and leaves in the air many questions about the management and future of Colombian football in the international sphere.