MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

No Copa America for Argentina either due to growing number of covid-19 cases

Interior Minister De Pedro's statement in a TV interview seems to have prompted Conmebol's reply

The South American Football Confederation Sunday announced the Copa America tournament was not going to be played in Argentina. The tournament due to begin June 13 was to be co-hosted by Colombia and Argentina.

 First, it was decided Colombia was not an appropriate place due to the social unrest and violence the country is going through. The question remained where to reschedule the 15 matches to be played in Colombia and Argentina seemed to the most natural option since it was already prepared to host half the event.

 But Sunday evening Conmebol announced it was looking for a venue for the entire tournament. Argentine President Alberto Fernández had given Conmebol the sanitary protocols to be observed during the tournament amidst the coronavirus pandemic and Interior Minister, Eduardo “Wado” De Pedro, had warned during a TV interview that he considered it “very difficult” for Argentina to organize the tournament, taking into account the prevailing health conditions in the country, and announced that Fernández was going to decide on the matter Monday.

Under these circumstances, Conmebol posted on its official Twitter account that “in view of the present circumstances, it has decided to suspend the organization of the Copa América in Argentina” and offers from other countries were under consideration.

It was reported that the announcement of the new venue will be made shortly, with Chile and the United States as the most likely candidates at this point. Paraguay is also an alternative, it was reported.

A Conmebol board is to convene Monday too, presumably, make the announcement.