Stadium tragedy exposes indonesias troubled soccer history

Stadium tragedy exposes indonesias troubled 

soccer history

Players and officials of the soccer club Arema FC pray outside the Kanjuruhan Stadium where many fans lost their lives in a stampede Saturday night in Malang, Indonesia, October 3, 2022.

👉 Gaining the right to host next year’s Under-20 World Cup was a major milestone in Indonesia’s soccer development, raising hopes that a successful tournament would turn around long-standing problems that have blighted the sport in this country of 277 million people.

The death of at least 125 people at a league game between host Arema FC of East Java’s Malang city and Persebaya Surabaya on Saturday is a tragic reminder, however, that Indonesia is one of the most dangerous countries in which to attend a game.

The U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed Sunday “his sincere condolences to the bereaved families and wishes the injured a speedy recovery,” urging “authorities to conduct a prompt and thorough investigation into this incident and to take all measures necessary to avoid a repetition of such a tragedy.”

“Do remember that the FIFA U-20 World Cup will be the worldwide spotlight since the event will be joined by 24 countries from five continents,” Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo said last month as he pushed for thorough preparations for the tournament.

Since Saturday, the domestic league has been suspended. Widodo has ordered the sports minister, the national police chief and the soccer federation to conduct a thorough investigation into the deadly stadium crush. (AP)