Alianza Lima Fined for Turning Off the Lights in the Liga 1 Final
The consumer protection authority has sanctioned Alianza Lima with a fine of 2.4 million soles (approximately $677,600) due to the incident that occurred at the end of the 2023 Liga 1 final, where they lost against Universitario. The final decision was announced this Thursday. The sanction is due to the lights being turned off at the Alejandro Villanueva stadium, an action that was considered unjustified and uncoordinated. This act put more than 26,000 attendees at the match at risk. In the resolution, the Specialized Chamber for Consumer Protection of the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and the Protection of Intellectual Property (Indecopi) determined that the lights-out violated the tournament regulations. This requires maintaining the lighting until all spectators have left the stadium. Furthermore, it was pointed out that Alianza Lima did not coordinate this action with the authorities present. The National Police, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and representatives of the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF) requested that the lights be restored, but the club refused.As part of the corrective measures, Alianza Lima must train its staff and directors in safety protocols for sporting events, under specialized supervision. It must also implement internal control mechanisms to ensure compliance with regulations in future events. Additionally, Indecopi has ordered Alianza Lima to issue a new statement regarding the lighting and throwing of flares in the stadium, which could result in an additional fine.The darkness in the white-and-blue stadium to prevent Universitario’s celebrations exposed attendees to unsafe conditions and favored events such as the launching of lit flares and attempts to invade the playing field,” Indecopi pointed out.
