A Corinthians teenage fan has confessed to causing the flare death of a 14-year-old during the Sao Paulo side's Libertadores Cup game in Bolivia last week.
In an interview aired on Brazil's Globo TV late Sunday, the 17-year-old took responsibility for the death of 14-year-old Kevin Espada during Wednesday's 1-1 draw between Corinthians and San Jose in the Bolivian city of Oruro.
In the wake of the incident, Bolivian police detained 12 other traveling Corinthians fans.
"We were celebrating the (Corinthians) goal. I took the flare from my bag, pulled on the cord, didn't quite know how to use it. It took off in the direction of the Bolivian fans," said the adolescent, who had his face hidden and was accompanied by his mother.
Saying he only learnt of the accidental death after the game, the youth asked for forgiveness from the victim's family and from those of the detained Brazilian fans.
Conmebol, the South American football's governing body, has meanwhile ordered Corinthians to play their home Libertadores Cup matches behind closed doors until further notice.
Fans of the Sao Paulo club will also be prevented from buying tickets for away matches.
Ricardo Cabral, a lawyer for Gavioes da Fiel, Corinthians's biggest organized fan club, said the youth, identified only as H.A.M, would turn himself in to Brazilian authorities later Monday. Corinthians won the Libertadores Cup for the first time last July and went on to beat Chelsea in the final of the Club World Cup in Japan in December.
Source: AFP
