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Malang, Indonesia—A delay in unlocking the gates at an Indonesian football stadium after a riot broke out after a match led to a disaster that killed at least 131 people, the National Football Association said on Tuesday.
The Indonesian Football Association has permanently banned the chief executive and security coordinator of Arema FC, which hosted Saturday’s match, for failing to promptly issue orders to secure the field and unlock the gates.
“The door should have been open, but it was closed,” said Erwin Tobing, chief of the association’s disciplinary committee.
Due to a shortage of workers, only a few people were ordered to open the gates, and as spectators tried to flee tear gas fired by police in an attempt to control fans who entered the field, We hadn’t reached a few doors yet. spokesperson Ahmad Riyad said.
He said all gates should be unlocked 10 minutes before the end of the game. It still remains locked up and has taken the toll of one of the deadliest sports disasters in the world.
But police continued to insist on Tuesday that the gates, although open, were too narrow to accommodate only two people at a time when hundreds tried to escape.
As per FIFA and Asian Football Confederation recommendations, stadium exits should always be unlocked during matches for safety reasons. These rules don’t necessarily apply to domestic or national leagues, but they are safety standards, as are recommendations for the use of tear gas as a crowd control measure.
A photo of Malang Stadium shows four connecting door panels that form one gate. There were 14 gates in total.
Police said their investigation focused on video recordings from surveillance cameras at six of the 14 gates where most of the victims died.
“Those six gates weren’t closed, but they were too small. There was capacity for two, but hundreds came out. There was a crush there,” a police spokesperson said. Person, Dedi Placecho, told reporters. He added that the gate is the organizer’s responsibility.
Most of the fatalities occurred when riot police fired tear gas and fans panicked and ran for an exit in confusion. Police took action after some of his 42,000 Alema fans angrily rushed to the pitch after Persebaya’s first home defeat in 23 years to Surabaya, the team’s 3-2 loss to him. I was.
Police said on Monday they had dismissed the police chief and nine elite police officers, while 18 others are under investigation for firing tear gas inside the stadium.
Some survivors said part of the exit gate was locked and they were unable to escape. Most of them specifically mentioned Gate 13.
“People were trying to save themselves after the tear gas was fired. Pugiono said.
“People could no longer stay inside the stadium. We wanted to escape, but the gates were closed. I was. “I remember screaming that I couldn’t breathe and that my eyes hurt.”
Those who tried to escape eventually crashed through the wall next to Gate 13, leaving a large hole and scribbled graffiti. January 10, 2022.
Hundreds of Alema supporters and locals have paid tribute to the victims at Gates 13 and 12 since Monday. They prayed together, dropped rose petals and bouquets, and placed several Arema scarves around the gate.
Pujanto said they moved more than 20 bodies scattered around Gate 13.
“Poor thing. The corpses strewn at Gate 13 had to be moved to get out. So my friends and I carried them to the field,” he said.
Arema supporter Evita Triawardani, 26, said that in every match she attended, the organizers usually opened the gates 15 to 20 minutes before the end of the match. said Gate 13 was closed. She ran out of the stadium through Gate 14 and it was open, she said.
She said she saw people screaming and gasping in clouds of tear gas, and parents holding their children on their shoulders so they could breathe.At least 17 people were among the dead. Children were included.
The Indonesian Football Association has announced that Arema has been banned from holding matches with supporters in Malang until next year as a result of Saturday’s disaster.
Alema chief executive Abdul Harris and security coordinator Suko Sutrisno were permanently banned from playing football for failing to secure the field and delaying the opening of the gates, Tobing said.
Edna Tarrigan
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