Insights into Mexican Football Violence: Implications for Compliance Law

The cruel images that continue to circulate on the internet leave us stunned and confused. These acts have no justification whatsoever and are not part of the "ultras" or the euphoric expression of a "hobby", they are acts of mere vandalism.

Investigations conducted by the authorities must be concise and effective, preserving due proceedings at all times, in order to avoid errors that might lead to impunity. They must present and truly sanction all those who are responsible according to Law.

The facts cannot be reversed and reveal not only the lack of security controls, but also the lack of interest on the part of the directors of the clubs to carefully review the contracts they sign with private security companies, as well as to implement, review and update emergency protocols; train all staff, including coaches, players, and yes, even vendors at the stadiums. All this is obviously a matter of Compliance.

One of the sanctions imposed on the Los Gallos Blancos de Querétaro Club was to prohibit the entry of the “ultras” to the stadium for one year in away games and for 3 years in home games. Is this the solution? When they can perfectly provoke scandals outside the stadiums, either before or after a match. It was also said that they could disaffiliate Querétaro Club from the league, which in the end did not happen, but was this the root solution? Perhaps it would have been an exemplary punishment for the other teams, because economic interests always prevail and are the ones that hurt them the most.

Acts of vandalism are a plague and as such they reproduce, they can contaminate another club and then another, Jorge Vergara himself (RIP) had already said it and was not listened to.

One of the perhaps strangest sanctions, not to say, “out of place”, is the disqualification of Adolfo Ríos, Sporting Director of Querétaro, whose role was not at all related to the hiring of security services, logistics of the event or training of the staff to act before any contingency. However, he risked his own integrity by coming down from the stands to enter the field and help the injured and try to stop the brawl.

These types of sanctions make it clear that the presidents of the leagues or those of the Mexican Football Federation are not at all informed regarding prevention issues, or worse still, they do not care and see it as something they "do not need." A curious fact is that the fateful event took place in a Liga BBVA match. Did BBVA as an institution make a statement about it or send some kind of message of solidarity to the victims and their families?

There are hidden interests in the football business, and not only in Mexico, but worldwide, we saw it with the assignment of the World Cup to Qatar, an economically attractive country, but which is far from what the West boasts so much about, Human Rights.

Football and any other sports are to be enjoyed. Mexico has not been good lately in some events - in November 2021, when the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Mexico was held, the children (accompanied by their parents) blown whistles and made obscene gestures to the seven-time champion, why? What did he do to them on a personal level to show such rejection? Children are the reflection of their parents, and the point here is that the events that occurred in the Corregidora stadium of Querétaro speak of a social decomposition that affects everyone. We cannot continue enriching the football business or any other business, where these types of events are presented, allowed, or promoted, a result of corruption in acts of the "ultras", because they have privileges that today come to light.

It is also important to point out that the players themselves must be trained and severely sanctioned when they are the ones who start the fights on the field against their opponent, because these images damage the reputation of the clubs that hire them and ignite the spirits among the fans, but it seems that the directors don't see that either or they don't care.

Institutional values, ethics, integrity are also matters of Compliance and it seems that Mexican football has no idea about them.

As a society, we have a job and it seems that we are failing at it, the brutality reflected in the images of that black weekend for sports, specifically Mexican football, reflect it. The values instilled at home are fundamental for a society to live in harmony and respect, the laws are to be fulfilled and observed.

Opening photo: Corregidora Stadium, Querétaro, Mexico

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