One of the saddest chapters in history not only of soccer but also of sports in Mexico took place on matchday 9 of the Liga MX Clausura 2022 Tournament during the game between Queretaro and the current Champion Atlas at La Corregidora Stadium in Queretaro city.
Due to the seriousness of what happened, Liga MX announced the suspension of the rest of the matches of the matchday 9 of the Clausura 2022, to be played on Sunday, March 6, as well as the rest of its professional leagues: the Second Division, the Youth's and the women's league.
Likewise, a thorough investigation will be carried out in conjunction with the authorities of the city of Querétaro to determine the causes of what happened, which is undoubtedly one of the most bitter moments of Liga MX since its inception in 1902.
What happened in the Querétaro vs Atlas match that caused the temporary suspension of the Liga MX?
It was the 62nd minute of the match, Atlas was winning 0-1 over Queretaro, when a fight broke out in the area of the stadium where the visiting team's cheering section was located apparently between fans of the two teams. When the violence began to escalate, those visitors with no connection to the Atlas supporters, including entire families, had to invade the field to protect their safety.
Further aggravating the situation was the incorporation of the home team's cheerleaders, Querétaro, into the fray. Unfortunately, it escalated from a clash between fans to a pitched battle of near-barbaric proportions. Evidently, the security at the Corregidora stadium, hired by the home team, which is neither local nor state public security, was overwhelmed by far and could do nothing to control the brawl.
Were any people injured after the fight?
Unfortunately, yes. There are two versions: the official one that until the end of March 5 reported only 22 injured, two of them seriously, and the unofficial reports that mention a figure of 15 to 17 dead. Videos are circulating on social media showing the extent to which the violence between Queretaro and Atlas fans escalated, so the version that includes deaths is not unreasonable, although it has not yet been confirmed.
