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Seven players sent off after mass brawl in Bolivian league clash

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Seven players sent off after mass brawl in Bolivian league clash
Football descended into chaos in Bolivia at the weekend as seven players were sent off and eight booked following a violent mass brawl during the Primera Division match between Club Blooming and Club Bolívar.

The heated encounter, which ended 2-1 to Bolívar, saw five players dismissed before half-time after tempers boiled over on a rain-soaked pitch in Santa Cruz, forcing police to intervene with tear gas to restore order.

Fists Fly in First-Half Melee

The flashpoint came six minutes before the interval when Blooming goalkeeper Braulio Uraezaña clashed with Bolívar winger Damián Batallini following a heavy collision inside the box.

Uraezaña confronted the Argentine, sparking angry reactions from both sides as players rushed in.

With tempers flaring, kicks and punches were exchanged, and several players were seen wrestling in puddles left by heavy rain.

Police officers stationed pitchside sprinted onto the field in an attempt to separate the players as the referee brandished multiple red cards.

More Chaos and Tear Gas

Despite hopes that order had been restored, the tension continued after the break.

Two more players were shown red in the second half, taking the total to seven dismissals, whilst eight others received yellow cards.

Bolívar eventually snatched a dramatic winner three minutes into stoppage time against a seven-man Blooming side, sealing one of the most chaotic victories in recent South American football history.

Violence continued even after the final whistle, with police confirming that tear gas was deployed to break up clashes between players and staff in the dressing-room area.

Post-match press conferences were subsequently cancelled.

Player Reactions and Federation Response

Bolívar goalkeeper Carlos Lampe, who also represents Bolivia's national team, condemned the violence.
That can't happen. They hit our goalkeeping coach, there was a fistfight. There wasn't enough security - the dressing rooms are too close together.
Team-mate Daniel Cataño, one of those sent off, criticised the referee.
There was pushing and shoving, but I never hit anyone. The referee lost control and didn't know how to handle the game.
The Bolivian Football Federation (FBF) later confirmed it is reviewing the incident and considering disciplinary action against both clubs.

Remarkably, local media pointed out that this was not the most red cards ever shown in a Bolivian league match as that record still belongs to Blooming's 2-0 defeat of The Strongest in 1999, when even more players were dismissed.

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