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CatastropheIndonesia

Indonesia to tear down stadium after deadly stampede

October 18, 2022

Indonesia's president said the stadium would be rebuilt with the safety of both football players and fans in mind. The stampede was one of the deadliest disasters in football history.

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Hindus take part in a ritual to remember the lives lost in the stampede
The Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang, East Java was built 1997 Image: Ari Bowo Sucipto/Antara Foto/REUTERS

Indonesia will tear down a football stadium where a recent deadly stampede killed over 130 people, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on Tuesday.

What are the plans for the stadium and Indonesian football?

"For Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang, we will demolish and rebuild it according to FIFA standards, with proper facilities that can ensure the safety of both players and supporters," Widodo told journalists after he met with FIFA head Gianni Infantino.

"We will reform and transform football in this country," Infantino said during the visit.

"This is a football country, a country where football is a passion for over 100 million people," Infantino added. "We owe it to them that when they see a match they are safe and secure." 

Infantino vowed close cooperation with the Indonesian government, the Asian Football Confederation and Indonesia's Football Association in guaranteeing the safety of the Under-20 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in Indonesia next year. 

"What I can guarantee to the president, what I can guarantee to the people of Indonesia, is FIFA is here with you," Infantino said.  

The stampede on October 1 left 133 people dead, with over 40 children among the victims.

A man pays condolences to the victims of the Kanjuruhan Stadium stampede
The stampede was the second deadliest in the history of football Image: Zabur Karuru/Antara Foto/REUTERS

'Excessive' and 'indiscriminate' tear gas use blamed for tragedy 

The tragedy was sparked by police firing tear gas into the stands, a crowd control measure that is prohibited by FIFA. Fans attempted to rush out of the 42,000-capacity stadium after homeside Arema F.C. lost to Persebaya Surabaya.  

A fact-finding team tasked by the government with investigating the disaster found that "excessive" and "indiscriminate" use of tear gas was the top cause of death in the tragedy. The team also urged the head of the Indonesian Football Association to step down following the incident.     

Malaysia's national police have removed several police chiefs from their positions following the tragedy, with nine police officers also having been suspended for professional ethics violations.   

wd/wmr (Reuters, AFP)