A judge in Bogotá’s Third Court for Minor Causes in Suba has accepted a tutela—a constitutional protection action—filed against Colombian national team players James Rodríguez and Luis Díaz, as well as the Colombian Football Federation (FCF), for alleged “traición a la patria” (treason against the homeland). The court has requested the FCF provide contact details for the players, who are currently in Guadalajara, Mexico, for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and has asked the petitioner to specify which fundamental right was violated, a requirement normally needed for admissibility.

According to the court filing, the petitioner, Francisco Javier Zuluaga, submitted the tutela verbally, attaching as sole evidence an image generated by artificial intelligence that depicts the two footballers making a hand gesture associated with the presidential campaign of Abelardo de la Espriella, who won Colombia’s second-round election on 22 June. The written submission, as reported by Colombian legal observers, contains no clear identification of a violated constitutional right and instead includes a series of accusations describing the players as “seditious,” “traitors,” and “bought by the elite,” alongside unrelated claims about electoral fraud and paramilitarism. Legal experts in Bogotá, cited by local media, are divided: some argue the judge had no option but to admit the action for study, while others, such as penal lawyer Iván Cancino, contend that the manifestly fabricated evidence and lack of legal grounds should have led to immediate rejection to avoid wasting judicial resources.

The tutela arrives amid a World Cup already marked by a series of off-field incidents involving players and figures connected to the tournament. In Guadalajara, Colombian presenter Alejandra Murgas of Caracol Televisión publicly denounced being groped during a live broadcast while interviewing fans, prompting her colleague Catalina Gómez to call for “social sanction” and safe working conditions. Separately, Argentine media have reported on a physical altercation at a Buenos Aires nightclub involving footballer Mauro Icardi, his partner Eugenia “China” Suárez, and a model, with witnesses alleging Suárez pulled the woman’s hair after Icardi attempted to kiss her. In Brasília, Brazilian outlets covered the assault of Mariana Eustáquio, daughter of journalist Oswaldo Eustáquio, at a bar after a World Cup match; her lawyer claims political intolerance motivated the attack, which left her with a spinal fracture. Meanwhile, a viral video from the Dominican Republic showing two former partners of James Rodríguez—Daniela Ospina and Shannon de Lima—together sparked social media speculation, illustrating the intense personal scrutiny faced by the Colombian captain.

The Colombian Football Federation has not issued a statement on the tutela, and neither Rodríguez nor Díaz has commented. The judge has given the petitioner a deadline to clarify the alleged rights violation, a step that will determine whether the case proceeds or is dismissed. The Colombian team continues its World Cup campaign, with its next match scheduled against Congo, as the legal dossier remains open in Bogotá.