Sports in Uruguay

It’s a well known fact that fútbol is a popular sport in Latin America and so I made a promise to myself that I would go to a game while I was living here. I got the chance to go a couple of weeks ago to see Uruguay’s team, Nacional , play a Brazilian team, it was so exciting! The enthusiasm of the fans is incredible. You are surrounded by constant cheering from the start of the game until the end.
You know the game is going to start when the noise level of the crowd surges and paper, toilet paper and other items are thrown into the air. Once the game is in progress, curse words fly around you like crazy and songs filled with fighting words ring in the air.

It’s not quite that intense at the basketball games though. Thanks to a visiting Rotarian, Gary Chamberlain, from my district 5510, I got the chance to attend the basketball championship in Uruguay. He and his wife were so wonderful! I took a taxi out to meet them at their apartment and from there we went and watched Bigua win it all.

Although it’s not as intense as a soccer game, toilet paper is still thrown on the court and people jump up and down while cheering their team on. At the end the crowd rushed the gym floor and the players climbed up on top of the basketball rims to cut down the net and pop open a champagne bottle to spray on the fans. It was such a sight to see!