Chile defender trips pitch invader at Copa America
This is the controversial moment that Chilean defender Gonzalo Jara tripped a pitch invader at the Copa America match between Chile and Uruguay at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro.
Footage shared by journalist Lazlo Dalfovo shows Jara, formerly of West Brom and Brighton, put out a leg to send the fan (wearing a chicken mask) tumbling to the turf in the game's 72nd minute.
During the Uruguay vs Chile match, Luis Suarez ran to the referee to demand that Gonzalo Jara was booked for kicking a pitch invader. Never change, Luis. pic.twitter.com/DtxaOW0FZ7
— football.london (@Football_LDN) June 25, 2019
His intervention led Uruguayan star Luis Suarez, ever looking for an edge, to remonstrate with the referee.
In FIFA's Laws of the Game, under Law 12 (Fouls and Misconduct), "[A player] is also guilty of violent conduct if he uses excessive force or brutality against a team-mate, spectator, match official or any other person." And if violent conduct happened, that player "must be sent off."
Jara was allowed to play on, the referee may not have deemed the trip was an example of "excessive force", but he could face a suspension of at least two matches if found guilty of violent conduct by disciplinary panel.
Uruguay went on to defeat Chile 1-0.