Deadly Football Match at Kanjuruhan; FIFA to Be Involved in Total Stadium Audit
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5 October 2022 20:53 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo, or Jokowi on Wednesday said that football stadiums that are used in the Liga Indonesia calendar will be subjected to a thorough audit to prevent a recurrence of the incident which killed 131 fans who were crushed amidst tear gas panic at the East Java stadium of Kanjuruhan.
“I will also order the Public Works and Public Housing Minister to conduct a total audit on all stadiums that are used for Liga 1, Liga 2, and Liga 3 competitions,” said the President in his visit to Malang, East Java, on October 5.
The audit will include total inspections of stadium gates, field management, to general stadium management, which will directly be assisted by FIFA.
“On Monday evening I called the FIFA president Gianni Infantino. He said that, if necessary, FIFA can assist in fixing football management issues in Indonesia,” Jokowi recalled.
The tragedy happened after the home team Arema FC lost to Persebaya Surabaya with a final score of 2-3. A number of Arema fans – which were the only fanbase that was permitted to watch the game that night – initially invaded the field following the loss.
Security personnel which comprised police and military members blocked most of the fans from stuffing the field. However, the police released tear gas shots at the spectators' seats which was blamed by many to be the driving force behind the deaths. Many died from being crushed by panicked fellow fans who were fleeing from the thick tear gas smoke.
Indonesian National Police (Polri) chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo said that police are looking deep into the series of events that led to the tragedy that claimed the lives of 131 people and injured hundreds of others at the Kanjuruhan Stadium.
M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH
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