A massive brawl erupted after a Copa Bolivia match between Blooming and Real Oruro on Sunday, resulting in 17 players and staff being sent off. Police were forced to use tear gas to break up the violence following the 2-2 draw, which saw Blooming advance to the quarterfinals on aggregate.
The trouble began after the final whistle, with Oruro's Sebastian Zeballos sparking the chaos. He had to be restrained by opposition players but broke free and pushed others. Teammate Julio Vila threw punches, escalating the melee. Oruro coach Marcelo Robledo confronted a member of the Bolivian national team's coaching staff and was pushed, reportedly suffering a shoulder injury and a blow to the head that required hospitalisation.
Around 20 police officers intervened, using tear gas to disperse the fighting. Blooming coach Mauricio Soria ordered his players into the dressing room to calm down. The official match report listed seven Blooming players and four from Oruro as sent off, along with both teams' coaches and assistants, totalling 17 red cards.
Among those dismissed for Blooming were Gabriel Valverde, Richet Gómez, Franco Posse, Roberto Melgar, César Romero, and Luis Suárez for violent conduct. César Menacho was sent off for using offensive language and also played an active role in the brawl. For Oruro, Raúl Gómez, Julio Vila, Yerco Vallejos, and Eduardo Alvarez received red cards, while Zeballos escaped punishment despite instigating the incident.
Both clubs have a history of violent conduct: Blooming were involved in a fight with Bolivar weeks earlier, and Oruro saw brawls during their relegation play-off last year. The referee's supplementary report will be sent to the Sports Disciplinary Tribunal, which may impose further sanctions.
