The deaths of at least 131 citizens, including 35 children
The worst stadium disaster in Asia’s history and the second deadliest worldwide appears, like most stadium disasters, to come across as an eerily avoidable catastrophe paired with an organisational shamble. The tragic events began as a handful of home fans invaded the pitch at the end of the game to take photos and vent frustration with players from their defeated team, not an unusual occurrence in Indonesian football.
The controversial use of tear gas by the local police on the home fans led to the urgent exit of the supporters who were merely trying to flee to safety through a small number of gates, many of which remained locked. The reports from within the stadium indicate the incorrect status of the gates played a highly significant role in the disaster as ‘all gates should be unlocked ten minutes before the end of a match,’ said Football Association spokesperson Ahmad Riyadh.
The sheer density of the evacuating supporters, swarming around the arena's exits, caused a deadly mass stampede. An alarming post from Chief Security Minister Mahfud MD via Instagram, stated forty-two thousand tickets were sold for the match in an arena that hosts only thirty-eight thousand.
FIFA directly declares that the use of tear gas should not be permitted in any football stadium, however, it is an unenforced rule regarded as more of a guideline for stadium security. This is not the first use of weapons on fans at the stadium, as May 2018 saw the death of a member of Aremania as a direct result of the tear gas administered by police.
The Nations Football Association has said that this has ‘tarnished the face of Indonesian football,’ and that a full audit of all football stadiums in the nation is underway on the order of Indonesian President Joko Widodo. Since the disaster, six men are to face criminal charges of negligence causing death. Three police officers who allegedly gassed fans are among the six, as well as the head of the home club organising committee.
These actions are a step in the right direction in improving the safety of those who wish to attend future fixtures of the beautiful game, as the nation cannot afford for history to repeat itself, again!