Indonesia’s sports minister said in response to the world’s deadliest football stadium disaster that the government would thoroughly investigate the incident and look into strengthening security at football matches in the country.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has called on the Football Association to suspend Premier League matches until an investigation into the tragedy is complete. In the Indonesian league, Czech footballers Michael Krmenčík and Ondřej Kúdela are also playing for the Persija Jakarta team. Their team’s Sunday game was postponed along with the next game.
Violence broke out after fans of the losing team invaded the pitch. After an unsuccessful attempt to get them out of it, the police used tear gas. According to local media, most people died or were fatally injured in the stampede that occurred as fans tried to escape the tear gas. Many fell to the ground and were trampled by others.
According to AFP and AP, several police officers are among the victims. “Thirty-four people died in the stadium and the rest succumbed to their injuries in hospital,” the local police chief said in a statement.
Local media reported that the clashes broke out at the end of the match between Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya when fans stormed the pitch. Police officers tried to clear the crowd from the field of play, while other fans threw various objects at the police officers. Persebaya Surabaya won the match 3:2.
According to Security Affairs Minister Mohammad Mahfud, the stadium was overcrowded, with 42,000 tickets sold, although the stadium’s capacity is 38,000.
According to footage from social networks, violence also took place in front of the stadium, burnt police cars can be seen on the street.
The tragedy in Malang is the second worst football stadium disaster in the world, according to available information. The most casualties were fan clashes at the stadium in the Peruvian capital Lima after the Peru-Argentina Olympic qualification match in May 1964, when 328 people died and five hundred others were injured.
