Fan punches Colombian soccer star on field; player's retaliation leads to red card
Daniel Cataño was issued a red card after sprinting after the fan and tackling him to the ground
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A wild scene broke out at a Colombian soccer match on Sunday that involved a fan sprinting onto the field to attack a player.
Categoria Primera A is the top league in Colombia, and a match between the Millonarios and Deportes Tolima was about to get underway. However, a fan of Deportes Tolima, the home team, ran onto the field and hit Millonarios’ Daniel Cataño.
The fan immediately ran away in cowardly fashion, but Cataño was quick to sprint after him and tackle him to the ground before security and teammates stepped in to stop him.
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Junior Alonso, left, of Atletico Mineiro and Daniel Cataño, right, of Deportes Tolima fight for the ball during a match between Atletico Mineiro and Deportes Tolima as part of Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores 2022 at Mineirao Stadium on May 25, 2022 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. (Pedro Vilela/Getty Images)
The fan was taken away after being met by security, but Cataño teammates kept swarming the man, screaming at him as he was moved off the pitch.
Prior to playing for Millonarios, Cataño played for Deportes Tolima.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CANADIAN WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM ON STRIKE CITING EQUAL PAY ISSUES, BUDGET CUTS
However, more controversy ensued when Cataño was issued a red card by the referee, which kicked him out of the game. This all came after Cataño defended himself, and Millonarios were not having it.
When the red card was issued, the whole team walked off the pitch and refused to play following the ejection.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Daniel Cataño of Tolima celebrates after scoring the first goal of his team during a Quarter Final first leg match between Independiente Santa Fe and Deportes Tolima as part of Liga Aguila Finalización 2018 at Estadio El Campin on Nov. 14, 2018 in Bogota, Colombia. (Gabriel Aponte/Vizzor Image/Getty Images)
Deportes Tolima team president Cesar Camargo issued a statement saying he did not condone what the fan did, but he did not like how Millonarios put them in a bind.
"The fan is out of control and will have to be prosecuted," the statement read, via The Sun. "And for a team to withdraw from the field is a boycott of the game and the sport. It is not worth putting pressure on us in that way."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Millonarios reportedly tried negotiating to restart the match with Cataño red card taken away – a red card would have left them with one less man compared to Deportes Tolima for the entire match.
Daniel Cataño of Tolima, before the match of Millonarios vs. Tolima of the BetPlay DIMAYOR League at the Estadio Nemesio Camacho El Campin stadium in the city of Bogota, Colombia on May 8, 2022, match that would end 0 - 0. (Daniel Garzon Herazo/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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When the referee refused, no game was played. Millonarios said they withdrew due to safety reasons.