Uruguay coach Bielsa suspended for being late to Copa América pitch

July 1, (THEWILL) – Uruguay national football team coach Marcelo Bielsa has been suspended for one match by CONMEBOL for his team’s late entry into the pitch during their Copa América match against Bolivia, an incident that occurred before Uruguay’s 5-0 win on Thursday, in breach of the tournament’s rules on entering the pitch on time.

CONMEBOL, the South American soccer governing body, announced the suspension on Sunday. In addition to Bielsa’s ban, the Uruguayan Football Association was fined $15,000 for failing to comply with Articles 104 and 145 of the tournament rules. These articles specifically address the requirement for teams to take the field at their scheduled start and restart times.

As a result of the suspension, Bielsa will not be on the pitch for Uruguay’s crucial Group C final match against the United States. The game is scheduled to take place on Monday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. In Bielsa’s absence, his assistant coach Pablo Quiroga will take over as manager on the bench.

This disciplinary action is the fourth time a coach has been suspended for the same reason during the 2024 Copa América. Before Bielsa, Lionel Scaloni of Argentina, Ricardo Gareca of Chile and Fernando Batista of Venezuela were given similar penalties for being late to the pitch.

The suspension comes at a critical time for Uruguay as they prepare to face the tournament hosts in a match that could decide their progress in the competition, with the outcome likely to shape Uruguay’s path through the knockout stages of the Copa América.