A mistake having the Copa America in the U.S.: Uruguay

The President of the Uruguayan Soccer Association (AUF) Wilmar Valdez expressed that the Conmebol made a mistake when it decided to have the centennial Copa America tournament in the United States.

"The Conmebol made a mistake celebrating such a tournament, the oldest cup in the world, of South-American soccer, here in the United States, where it became pretty clear yesterday that ... this championship is pretty much rigged in favor of Mexico," expressed Valdez in an interview with Uruguayan Sport 890 radio.

Valdez said that the U.S. is home to a great "colony" of Mexicans, some 33 million, and pointed out at the great influence of the Univision network in the country.

He added that the U.S. is "a country where soccer is not endearing" and that could cause problems.

Valdez pointed out at the incident before the game versus Mexico, where the wrong national anthem, the Chilean one, was played instead of the Uruguayan.

"We demanded immediately, during the game, a public apology," he said. He pointed that the organizers of the cup apologized for the "human mistake" of playing the wrong anthem.

"It's really a shame," he said.