The threats began after Campaz wasted a dangerous opportunity in the final minutes of the second extra period, before scoring his penalty kick, but Colombia lost 4-3.
The messages prompted the player not to return with the national team delegation to his country as a precaution, and he also closed the comments feature on his social media accounts.
The Colombian Federation condemned the threats, calling on the judicial authorities and the Public Prosecution to identify and prosecute those responsible, stressing that the results of the matches do not justify intimidation of players or violence against them.
Kambaz wrote on Instagram: “Football is full of difficult moments, but we must not lose sight of respect. We may disagree or feel frustrated and sad, but passion does not justify hatred or living in fear.”
The incident brought to the fore the tragedy of Colombian defender Andres Escobar, who was assassinated in 1994, days after his country’s national team returned from the World Cup, after scoring an accidental goal against the United States. (Russia Today)
