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The Colombian Football Federation on Friday condemned death threats directed at midfielder Jaminton Campaz and his family, following the team's exit from the World Cup.

Colombia's tournament run ended on Tuesday with a penalty shootout loss to Switzerland in the round of 16. During extra time, Campaz, who plays for Argentine club Rosario Central, missed a crucial scoring opportunity by shooting the ball wide of the goal.

After the match, the player's social media accounts were flooded with negative comments and threats, prompting him to restrict comments on his accounts. As a precaution, he did not travel with his teammates on the return flight to his country.

The Colombian Federation said in a statement: 'No athlete, nor anyone close to them, should be intimidated for representing their country in a sporting competition.'

Campaz posted on Instagram a photo of himself covering his face in frustration, accompanied by an appeal for respect toward players.

He wrote: 'Football also consists of difficult moments. O Colombia, I ask that we never lose our respect. We may disagree or feel frustration and sadness, but no passion justifies hatred or living in fear.'

Jaminton Campaz

In response to these threats, the Colombian Federation called on the country's Attorney General's Office to expedite the investigation to identify those responsible.

These threats bring to mind a dark chapter in Colombian football history. At the 1994 World Cup in the United States, defender Andrés Escobar scored an own goal in a 2-1 loss to the U.S. team. Days after the elimination and the team's return to Colombia, Escobar was killed in the city of Medellín.

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