Chivas and Mexico forwards Uriel Antuna and Alexis Vega have been “indefinitely” suspended from the club’s squad after a video of the duo drinking and singing went viral on social media less than 48 hours before the team’s Liga MX game against Toluca.
Antuna celebrated his 23rd birthday on Friday and appeared to have a gathering, with a video emerging on social media — reportedly via an Instagram story that Vega quickly deleted — of the two of them singing. Antuna drank from a bottle of vodka he was holding.
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“After conducting an internal investigation into the events that occurred last Friday night, the [club] has made the determination to remove Uriel Antuna and Alexis Vega from the squad indefinitely,” read the Chivas statement, indicating that the players would also be fined and won’t be traveling to face Toluca.
All-Mexican club Chivas started the season without scoring a goal in their opening three games, before head coach Luis Fernando Tena was fired and replaced by Victor Manuel Vucetich. Since then the club has won its last two games.
Ill-discipline in the squad has been a concern over recent months and Antuna was dropped to the Under-20s team and fined last February for another alleged off-field incident.
“At Chivas we want to inspire Mexico and to do that we need professionals on and off the field, at all levels, from the players to the coaches, directors and staff,” the Chivas statement added.
“We will not rest until we are all clear that wearing this shirt and defending our badge requires commitment and professionalism 24/7.”
Antuna and Vega were part of the Mexico squad that won the Gold Cup last summer. Both have also recently recovered for COVID-19, with Antuna’s wife releasing a video last month of the winger suffering in bed with fever.