Published on : Modified :
A stampede caused by fans who invaded the field during a meeting between two rival teams has left at least 174 dead in Indonesia. President Joko Widodo on Sunday ordered an investigation into the security of football matches in the country.
It is one of the worst tragedies in the history of football: at least 174 people died, Saturday October 1, in Indonesia, in a crowd movement caused by fans invading a field after a match, reported, Sunday , local authorities.
In a press release, the president of the International Football Federation (Fifa) Gianni Infantino evoked “a tragedy beyond the imaginable”.
“The football world is in a state of shock following the tragic incidents that have taken place in Indonesia at the end of the match between Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya at the Kanjuruhan Stadium.” – FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Full statement: https://t.co/dksCbowInH
– FIFA Media (@fifamedia) October 2, 2022
The tragedy, which took place on Saturday evening in the city of Malang, in the east of the island of Java, also left some 180 injured in this archipelago of Southeast Asia where rivalries between supporters often saw to disaster.
Fans of the Arema FC team entered the pitch at the Kanjuruhan stadium after their team lost 3-2 to Persebaya Surabaya. It was the first time in more than twenty years that Arema FC had lost to their great rival.
Police, who called the incident a “riot”, tried to persuade fans to return to the stands and fired tear gas after two officers were killed. Many victims were trampled to death.
Several people were crushed as they ran towards one of the exits of the stadium, and died of asphyxiation, detailed in a statement the local police chief, Nico Afinta.
Footage captured inside the stadium shows a huge amount of tear gas and people clinging to the barriers, trying to escape. Others carried injured bystanders, pushing their way through the chaos.
Players under high protection
The distressing spectacle in front of the stadium on Sunday morning revealed the turmoil of the previous day: charred vehicles, including a police truck, littered the streets.
The Indonesian government apologized for this incident and promised to investigate the circumstances of this crowd movement.
The Minister of Sports and Youth, the National Police and the head of the Indonesian National Football Association should conduct “a comprehensive assessment of football matches and security procedures”, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said in a statement. a televised speech.
For its part, the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) has suspended all matches scheduled for this week and banned Arema FC from hosting home matches for the rest of the season. A team of investigators must also go to Malang to establish the cause of the crash.
“We are sorry and we apologize to the families of the victims and to all parties for this incident,” said PSSI President Mochamad Iriawan.
Fan violence is a problem in Indonesia, where long-running rivalries have turned into deadly clashes.
Some matches – the biggest being the Old Indonesia Derby between Persija Jakarta and Persib Bandung – are so tense that players from top teams have to go there under heavy protection.
With AFP
