THE Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) has put out a statement expressing its sadness at the tragedy which befell 77 persons and their families on Monday.

The tragedy, as a result of a plane crash, decimated Brazillian club side Chapecoense, leaving a handful of support staff and six players as the organisation’s representatives.
Chapecoense were scheduled to play the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana final against Atletico Nacional at Medellin’s Estadio Atanasio Girardot today, But the plane, carrying 72 passengers and nine crew, crashed en route from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, coming down in Cerro Gordo in the municipality of La Union. There were six survivors and 71 dead.
The events have left a pall of gloom over the world of football and CONCACAF has expressed its sadness at the occurence.

“CONCACAF is deeply saddened by the tragedy of the Associação Chapecoense de Futebol, which occurred Monday, in Colombia,” read a statement from the organisation.
“The football family has lost a talented team, which had a promising future. Their outstanding path in reaching the Copa Sudamericana final for the first-ever time, will remain in the history of our game as an inspiration for younger generations across the world,” the statement continued.
“CONCACAF stands in solidarity with CONMEBOL, the Confederação Brasileira de Futebol, and the Chapecoense family. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the South American football community at this difficult time,” the statement ended.
In the meantime, the tribute to Brazil’s Chapecoense football team is in full swing in Medellin, Colombia.

Prior to the tribute’s start, fans of the local Atletico Nacional team dressed in white and shouted slogans in support of the Brazilian squad, which was on a plane that crashed outside the city. The Brazilians were supposed to have played Atletico Nacional in the finals of the Copa Sudamericana tournament Wednesday night.
A military band’s memorial tune as the stadium lights dimmed has brought tears to the faces of Atletico Nacional’s normally stern-faced players and everyone else in the nearly full 40,000-seat stadium.
Black Hawk helicopters that helped in the rescue operation that managed to pull six survivors from the wreckage performed a fly-over. Several first responders who were at the crash scene attended.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Jose Serra fought to hold back tears as he thanked fans for their show of solidarity. He told them: “It’s a light of hope when all of us are trying to understand what’s impossible to understand.”

(Sportsmax.com)