Independiente President Néstor Grindetti challenged Conmebol's decision to eliminate his club from the 2025 Copa Sudamericana following violent incidents during a match against Universidad de Chile.
Speaking with TyC Sports, Grindetti argued that the sanctions—which include the club's removal from the tournament and the requirement to play matches behind closed doors—represent an excessive punishment for the Argentine side.
"I am not saying that Independiente should not receive a sanction, but such a sanction. The responsibility over Independiente seems exaggerated to me," Grindetti said.
The club president directly blamed the behavior of the Chilean supporters for the chaos that unfolded during the tournament fixture.
Grindetti described seeing fans throwing large objects and noted the presence of injured individuals at the scene.
"I saw how the Chileans were throwing entire toilets. There were people with broken heads... the Chileans were out of control," he stated.
Shared responsibility
Grindetti maintained that the club's leadership attempted to intervene during the unrest by requesting a match suspension while the events were unfolding.
He argued that the blame for the breakdown in order should be distributed among all involved parties rather than focused solely on his club.
"From the first moment I recognized there are errors, but concurrent errors. Independiente is not the only one responsible," he added.
The executive also leveled criticism at the Chilean football establishment, alleging a lack of neutrality regarding the incident.
Grindetti claimed the Chilean football system provided unilateral support to Universidad de Chile following the clashes.
"I saw how the entire Chilean football system rallied behind U. and I did not see the same in Argentina," he concluded.
