Colombian player receives death threats after World Cup exit

Colombia's football federation has condemned death threats directed at midfielder Jaminton Campaz and his family following the national team's World Cup elimination, Al Jazeera reported.

Colombia's tournament ended in a penalty shootout defeat to Switzerland in the Round of 16 on Tuesday. During extra time, Campaz, who plays for Argentine club Rosario Central, missed a crucial chance when his shot went wide before Colombia eventually lost on penalties.

According to Al Jazeera, Campaz's social media accounts were flooded with abusive messages and death threats after the match. He subsequently limited comments on his social media pages and, as a precaution, did not return to Colombia on the same flight as his teammates.

"No athlete, nor any member of their inner circle, should be subjected to intimidation for representing their country in a sporting arena," the Colombian Football Federation (FCF) said in a statement on Friday.

The federation also urged Colombia's attorney general's office to expedite an investigation to identify those behind the threats.

"Football must be a space for unity, respect and hope — never a setting for hatred, intimidation or violence," the FCF said, calling on supporters to ensure sporting disappointment never turns into real-world aggression.

Campaz also appealed for respect in a message posted on Instagram alongside a photograph of himself covering his face in frustration.

"Football is also made up of difficult moments," he wrote. "My Colombia, please let us never lose sight of respect. We may think differently or feel frustration and sadness, but no passion justifies hatred or living in fear."

The incident has revived memories of one of the darkest chapters in Colombian football history. During the 1994 World Cup in the United States, defender Andres Escobar scored an own goal in a 2-1 defeat to the hosts. Days after Colombia's elimination, Escobar was murdered in Medellín, a tragedy that remains one of football's most haunting episodes.

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