Twelve Mexican soccer teams announced that they would prevent reporters from a Mexican sports newspaper from entering their stadiums, reported the magazine Proceso on Saturday, Feb. 18.
The measure is an attempt to show solidarity with Club Chivas from the city of Guadalajara which, on the Mexican Soccer Federation webpage, published a letter signed by Club Chivas stating that 17 teams supported the decision as a way of categorically excluding biased publications.
Five first-division teams, however, rejected the measure, which denies reporters and photographers from Récord, the sports newspaper with the highest circulation in Mexico, entrance into their stadiums and facilities, according to this publication and Radio Fórmula. The authorities of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, to whom the Pumas team belongs, believe the decision restricts freedom of expression, reported the news agency Notimex.
Club Chivas had already banned the newspaper Mural, and Club Pachuca has had its differences with ESPN, although the team has not banned the sports network, reported the Associated Press. “But a unanimous attack by the Mexican soccer organizations on any publication has never happened before,” said the Spanish newspaper Marca.
