Football Security Measures to Align with FIFA, PSSI Rules Following Kanjuruhan Tragedy: Police

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian National Police (Polri) and the Youth and Sports Ministry, along with other stakeholders are starting to formulate a security regulation specifically designed for football matches which will be specifically issued to prevent another human tragedy such as the recent Kanjuruhan Stadium mass stampede. A meeting was held in Central Jakarta on Wednesday.

In the meeting at the Sports Ministry’s headquarters, Polri was represented by the deputy commander of the Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) general Setyo Boedi Moempoeni Harso. He specifically attributed this meeting to direct instruction from the National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo. 

"Since this incident occurred, we received instructions from the National Police Chief to make a product (law) that will be the basis for security measures," said Setyo.

Security regulations to adhere to FIFA and PSSI regulations

He stated that the rules would follow the regulations issued by the International Football Federation (FIFA) and the All-Indonesian Football Association (PSSI).

Setyo said that at the initial meeting the National Police had with stakeholders, they agreed to thoroughly evaluate the tragedy at the Kanjuruhan Stadium. Setyo also expressed his gratitude to a number of football fans who attended the meeting and provided input from the fans’ perspective.

This input from the fans will serve as a crucial reference in drafting regulations that will later become the baseline for the National Police, organizers, and regional units that own stadiums for future football competitions.

"With the input provided, this product will become the basis for the National Police to carry out security operations carried out by PSSI," said Setyo.

The security regulations for football matches are one of the highlights of the Kanjuruhan disaster as police used tear gas inside the stadium as a means to control the crowd.

PSSI failed to prohibit the use of tear gas in its rules

The use of tear gas has been banned by FIFA, but unfortunately, PSSI has not implemented it in its security and safety regulations. As a result, the police also defended that the use of tear gas was in accordance with the procedure because it was based on the National Police Chief Regulation No. 1 of 2009 concerning Mass Control.

The general chairman of PSSI, Mochamad Iriawan, admitted to Tempo that there was an omission regarding the rules for the use of tear gas in their regulations. He also stated that he had communicated with the National Police to make regulations that were more in line with FIFA rules.

The use of tear gas is blamed as the major cause behind the deaths of 132 fans that attended the football match in the Kanjuruhan stadium. However, police insist that the cause of death of the victims was not because of tear gas, but due to lack of oxygen and panic spectators that trampled on each other, causing them to suffocate, on their way out of the stadium.

TEMPO.CO | FEBRIYAN

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