After his team’s weekend loss, a South American football chairman was brutally killed.
Tigres FC, the Colombian second division side owned by Edgar Paez, were defeated 3-2 at their Estadio Luis Carlos Galan Sarmiento home on Saturday (September 23) by Atletico de Cali, dropping them to the bottom of the 16-team league.The 63-year-old was said to be on his way home in the Colombian capital of Bogota with one of his daughters when their car was accosted by two guys on motorcycles, who reportedly assassinated him outside the stadium about 6.15 p.m. local time.
He was brought to the adjacent Mederi Hospital, according to local journalist Oscar Ostos, but his life could not be saved. According to the National Police, he was shot three times in the chest, neck, and skull.
His daughter is claimed to have survived the terrifying experience unscathed. The police have launched an inquiry into the murder.
Paez’s team published a statement in response to the awful news, saying, “The Tigres family and the sporting community are devastated by this event.”
“His commitment to the team and his dedication to the development of the sport in our region left an indelible mark on all who had the privilege of knowing him.”
Tributes poured in, including form Fernando Jaramillo, the president of the Major Division of Colombian Professional Football. “He was always distinguished by his respect for his friends, by his strong but respectful positions and by the love he professed for the sport that we are all passionate about: football,” Jaramillo said.
A minute’s silence will be held in the next two rounds of fixtures for Paez, who was previously a director of top-flight side Independiente Santa Fe. Tigres travel to face local rivals Bogota this coming Saturday (September 30).
