Indonesia to demolish “stampede” stadium
Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced that they will demolish the football stadium where a stampede killed more than 130 people.
Widodo was addressing the media at the state palace after meeting Gianni Infantino, the head of FIFA, the organization that governs soccer worldwide.
“Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang… we will demolish it and rebuild according to FIFA standards.”
The deadly stampede after a league match in the city of Malang on October 1 has been blamed on police firing tear gas in the stadium, a crowd control measure banned by FIFA.
The president said that he and Infantino had agreed on important adjustments to the way sport was run in Indonesia.
“We agreed to thoroughly transform Indonesian soccer,” he said. “Every aspect of preparation… needs to be based on FIFA standards.”
Jokowi and Infantino’s meeting comes after Indonesia and FIFA decided to establish a joint task group in the wake of the disaster at the stadium and as the nation gears up to host the Under-20 World Cup next year.
“This is a football country, a country where football is a passion for over 100 million people. We owe it to them that when they see a match, they are safe and secure”, said Infantino
Infantino said the world soccer organization will work closely with the government to ensure that all venues satisfy safety regulations and that the Under-20 World Cup next year runs smoothly. He also gave the Widodo a red FIFA jersey with his name emblazoned.
Under pressure to explain what led to one of the deadliest stadium accidents in history, the government-formed fact-finding committee issued a report last week that found that the “excessive” and “indiscriminate” deployment of tear gas was the leading cause of death.
After Persebaya Surabaya defeated the home team Arema FC, the fans tried to leave the stadium, but they got stuck in a horrific crush, and many of them, including more than 40 children, died from asphyxiation.
Other variables cited in the investigation include overcrowding in the stadium, barred exits, and league executives’ insistence on playing the game at night in order to boost ratings for a local broadcaster despite police requests to play a match between bitter rivals during the day.
Additionally, the fact-finding team reported that more than three hours of CCTV footage had been removed around an hour after the contest. Police have been asked to give this video to the team.
The group also demanded the resignation of the president of the Indonesian Football Association.