Copa America scandal: Arturo Vidal and other Chile footballers in trouble for inviting women to team hotel

Chile's Arturo Vidal in action against Lionel Messi's Argentina team in the ongoing Copa America 2021. (Source: Twitter)

The Chile national football team have found themselves in deep trouble at the ongoing Copa America 2021 after at least six of their current players including star Arturo Vidal have been accused of reportedly inviting several women for a party amid strict COVID-19 rules at their hotel in Cuiaba. As per a report by Spanish daily Marca, Chilean players reportedly invited several women to join them at the Gran Hotel Odara where the squad are staying during the Copa America.

The incident has prompted the team’s technical director Martin Lasarte to ask for serious punishments including sending the players at blame back home. Though the names of the players are not officially revealed yet but the report stated that  star players Arturo Vidal and Gary Medel were in the party including Pablo Galdames, Pablo Aranguiz and Eduardo Vargas.

The incident comes right after both Medel and Vidal reportedly were handed a $30,000 fine each by CONMEBOL for inviting a hairdresser to cut their hair at the hotel.

Earlier, players from Chile’s squad at Copa America violated the tournament's coronavirus protocols after a ‘barber’ visited the players’ hotel in the Brazilian city of Cuiaba.

The Chilean football federation issued a statement Sunday saying it ‘recognises the violation of the health bubble of the squad participating at Copa America, with the unauthorized entry of a barber who, despite his negative PCR test, should not have made contact with the players.’

The Chilean federation did not give the number or names of players involved, but said they will be fined. “We regret what brought us to this situation and we inform that all members of the squad tested negative for the virus on Saturday,” the federation said.

Chile coach Martin Lasarte told a news conference his players made ‘a serious mistake’. “It was an error, a temerity, but that is over now,” Lasarte said, adding all players remain eligible for Chile's next match against Uruguay. He did not say when the barber visited Chile's team hotel.

Chile and Argentina share the lead in Group A with four points after two matches. The Chileans can secure a spot in the knockout stages of the tournament with a win Monday against Uruguay.