April 20 (Reuters) - Violent clashes between fans and police forced the cancellation of Sunday’s Paraguayan league match between Olimpia and Cerro Porteno in the capital, Asunción, local police said in a statement.
Police said the violence was “perpetrated by a section of Cerro Porteno supporters,” prompting the temporary suspension of the match for security reasons.
“In response to these events, police officers acted immediately to restore order and guarantee the safety of those in attendance,” the statement said.
Authorities added that an investigation was under way to identify those responsible.
“The perpetrators will be handed over to the Public Prosecutor’s office to face exemplary sanctions and will be banned from attending sporting events,” police said.
Olimpia, Cerro Porteno and the Paraguayan Football Association (APF) did not immediately respond to requests for comment made outside business hours.
(Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
