Football
ESPN staff 9y

Costa Rica coach Paulo Wanchope fights in stands at Under-23 match

Costa Rica coach Paulo Wanchope was involved in a fight in the stands during his nation's Olympic qualifying match in Panama on Tuesday.

Wanchope, 39, was at the Estadio Maracana in Panama City to watch the Los Ticos' under-23 team's 0-0 draw in their Central America Zone Group A opener when footage posted on social media showed him get into an altercation with an unidentified man after being pushed into a ball boy.

The former Manchester City striker was then restrained by security after footage posted by several different people close by in the stadium, including a journalist from Panamanian newspaper El Siglo, showed him exchanging blows with the man.

Wanchope tried to get near a secured area and was heard yelling at the fourth referee and the directors of the Central American Football Union (UNCAF) that the match was fixed, Panama Football Federation president Ramon Cardoze told The Associated Press via telephone.

"He was yelling that the match was fixed, he was saying they want to finish with us just like in the Gold Cup," Cardoze said. "He was in his right to go onto the field at any moment, but not in such an aggressive manner."

Cardoze said that after the match that Wanchope tried to open a gate to get onto the field, where he is seen in the video, pushing the ball boy and getting into an altercation with the other man. He said players and members of Costa Rica's coaching staff followed Wanchope into the stands but did not throw any punches. He said Panama police were on hand but did not arrest anyone and "at the end everyone went to the dressing rooms."

Cardoze said he was not aware whether a police report had been filed and he said that Panama has filed no protest.

"Now it is in the hands of UNCAF to determine sanctions against those involved," Cardoze said.

The Costa Rica Football Federation said on Wednesday it will not take any action against Wanchope until all the details are heard.

"Responsible action requires that we compile as much information as possible so that we can have the best response," read the federation statement, which left open the possibility of sanctions.

Wanchope is already under pressure a year on from succeeding Jorge Luis Pinto as the national team's coach after his side failed to win a single match at the CONCACAF Gold Cup last month. His side scraped through to the quarterfinals by drawing all three of their group games, but were eliminated in the last eight by eventual winners Mexico.

Pinto left his post after failing to agree a new contract despite leading Costa Rica to the quarterfinals of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Wanchope, Pinto's assistant at the time, replaced him on an interim basis before being appointed full-time in January.

Mexico fired Miguel Herrera as coach last month, with the Gold Cup-winning coach admitting fighting with a journalist at an airport.

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