Chapecoense named Copa Sudamericana winners

The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) declared the Chapecoense Football Association the winner of the Copa Sudamericana 2016. The statement was made early in the afternoon today (Dec. 5). The Brazilian team will be entitled to a $2 million award for the title and a spot in the Copa Libertadores de América in 2017.

Club Atlético Nacional, which would face Chapecoense in the final, requested CONMEBOL to crown the Santa Catarina team champion and grant it the CONMEBOL Centenary Fair Play Award.

In a note, CONMEBOL justified its decision: “[With a view to] furthering the promotion of football in South America in a spirit of peace, understanding, and justice, taking into consideration that sports values should prevail over commercial interests, the Council decided to grant Atlético Nacional Club the CONMEBOL Centenary Fair Play Award, which consists of a $1 million prize.”

In the accident, which took place in the early hours on Tuesday (Nov. 29) in the vicinities of Medellín, 71 people died, among them crew members, Chapecoense players and delegation members, as well as journalists traveling to cover the first match of the finals. Only six people survived the crash: two crew members, a journalists, and three athletes.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira