Rugby players sentenced to life imprisonment. One of them fainted during the verdict [WIDEO]

In January 2020, a tragic event occurred in a nightclub in the Argentinean town of Villa Gesell. Fernando Baez Sosa, the son of Paraguayan immigrants, and his friends argued with several rugby players from amateur team Nautico Arsenal Zarate. Both groups were ejected from the premises, and soon after the athletes caught up with Baez Sosa when he was left alone and beat him to death. The event lasted about 45 seconds, one of the witnesses recorded it with a phone. The attackers also threw racist slurs at the victim.

Argentine rugby players convicted of the murder of Fernando Baez Sosa. Five of them received life sentences

Initially, 11 men were tried, but over time, three were excluded from the case. On Monday, February 6, sentences were handed down in this case, five of them were sentenced to life imprisonment, and three others, who played supporting roles in the whole situation, were sentenced to fifteen years in prison. All convicts are young (21-23 years old). One of them fainted after the verdict was announced.

The judges of Criminal Court No. 1 in Dolores considered their act a “double aggravated murder with premeditation and particular cruelty”, thus acceding to the prosecutor’s request. Defendant’s demands that the incident be considered a “conviction during an argument” were rejected. The purposefulness and brutality of their actions were emphasized, making it impossible to change the qualification of the act. More than 100 witnesses testified during the trial.

The case caused great public interest in Argentina. Pope Francis appealed for solidarity with the victim. Agustin Pichot, a former Argentine rugby player and activist, criticized the cult of strength and aggression present in this sport. He added that action should be taken to change the image of rugby in Argentina.

Huge controversy aroused the statement of the founder of the club where the murderers played. A few days ago, he stated that Baez Sosa’s death “was an accident” because the convicts “didn’t go out to kill.” Nautico Arsenal Zarate firmly distanced itself from this statement.

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