A referee’s controversial decision turned into violence during a soccer match in southeastern Guinea on Monday. According to Reuters, 56 people died in the chaotic scene.
The deaths occurred during the final of a tournament honoring Guinea’s military leader Mamady Doumbouya at a stadium in Nzerekore, one of West Africa’s largest cities.
Fans ended up throwing stones in protest at the controversial sanction, which came after a red card was handed out in the 82nd minute of the match. Government officials said an investigation into the violent incident would be conducted.
“The stone throwing began and the police joined in, firing tear gas. In the rush and struggle that followed, I saw people fall to the ground, girls and boys trampled. It was horrible,” a witness told Reuters.
The public proceeded to leave the stadium after the controversial referee’s decision, and that was when the chaos began. There was a dangerous scuffle at the exits of the stadium, and several people could be seen trying to climb the high walls to escape the chaos.
Alpha Conde, president of the nation until his overthrow in 2021, stated that the soccer match was not organized properly as the country is going through a turbulent time. Doumbouya is scheduled to hold elections after he came to power following the 2021 coup.
A city official told Reuters that many of the victims were minors and were injured when police began firing tear gas into the crowd. The victims could be seen lined up on the ground in videos posted on social media.
The National Alliance for Change and Democracy, an opposition group, claimed authorities were responsible for organizing tournaments that would gain political support for Doumbouya ahead of the long-awaited presidential election. Doumbouya had previously proposed a two-year transition until 2022 elections, after negotiating with the West African political and economic bloc, but had not taken any steps towards organizing a vote.
Reuters also reported that security forces used excessive force in Sunday’s situation, including tear gas and gunfire.
Monday’s disaster was the latest in a long line of deadly disasters at soccer stadiums around the world dating back to 2001.
More recently, at least 125 people were killed following a football match in East Java, Indonesia, in October 2022. The match involved Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya, and Arema FC fans stormed the Kanjuruhan Stadium field in Malang. The police ended up firing tear gas, causing dozens of people to be crushed and suffocated.
Some of the more notable football stadium disasters include:
- January 2022, Cameroon: At least eight people were killed and 38 more injured during a crush at the Olembe stadium in Yaoundé in Cameroon before the African Cup of Nations round of 16 match against Comoros.
- February 2012, Egypt: Fans rioted at the conclusion of a match between rivals Al-Masry and Al-Ahly in the city of Port Said. There were at least 73 people who died and more than 1,000 people were injured. As a result, the Egyptian league was suspended for two years.
- March 2009, Ivory Coast: At least 19 people died at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium in Abidjan before a World Cup qualifying match against Malawi.
- May 2001, Ghana: An estimated 126 people died in a crush at Accra’s main football stadium when police fired tear gas at riotous fans.
- April 2001, South Africa: At least 43 people were crushed to death when fans tried to force their way onto the pitch at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park stadium in the middle of a match in South Africa’s top league.
Following Monday’s horrific scene, the Confederation of African Football revealed that they were working with FIFA to combat overcrowding and other safety issues in stadiums across the African continent.
