BUENOS AIRES: One man died and more than 100 needed medical treatment after clashes between police and fans in La Plata forced the suspension after only nine minutes of the top of the table Argentinian championship match between Gimnasia y Esgrima and Boca Juniors.

Crowd trouble between fans trying to enter the stadium and security forces sparked anger and protests which the police sought to quell by firing tear gas and rubber bullets. One TV cameraman was hit three times in a leg by rubber bullets.

The match was halted and ultimately abandoned after wind blew the tear gas across the pitch and players threw water bottles to fans to wash their eyes.

Many fans who wanted to flee the stadium were unable to do so because the gates had been locked but a disaster was avoided because they were able to scale fences and get out.

Sergio Berni, the Buenos Aires security minister, blamed a large number of fans trying to enter the stadium without tickets.

César Regueiro , a 57-year-old Gimnasia fan and former player of Villa San Carlos in the La Plata league, died on the way to hospital in an ambulance after suffering a cardiac arrest.

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