May 20 – Argentina have offered to stage the whole of the Copa America on their own rather than share with joint hosts Colombia, where a wave of civil unrest has rocked the country since late April.
Argentine President Alberto Fernández made the offer despite the horrendous Covid-19 figures in his own country with more than 70,000 deaths reported.
The tournament is scheduled for June 13 to July 10 and Fernandez told a local radio station: “If there is a problem, we are ready for the possibility of hosting (the Copa) alone but the protocols would have to be very strict. If CONMEBOL said, ‘you can take charge’ then I am ready to study it.”
“This would be a Copa América for television, that must be said. Under those terms we would be willing to honour our commitment. The rest depends on how everything evolves and what Colombia is also going to do.”
The tournament is being jointly hosted in two countries for the first time in its 105-year history with 15 games slated for Colombia – including the final – and 13 in Argentina.
Fernandez’s comments cast further doubt on Colombia’s ability to co-host amid widespread protests against the administration of President Iván Duque that have led to 15 deaths
Last week, police and protesters clashed in the cities of Pereira and Barranquilla, the latter of which is scheduled to stage the final.
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