Indonesia is in shock after the stadium disaster on Java. The Asian island state and the football world mourn the victims. At the same time, the question arises as to who is responsible – as well as the consequences of the tragedy.
At least 125 dead, more than 300 people injured, some seriously. The deadly mass panic at Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang on the Indonesian island of Java is one of the worst disasters in football and caused horror worldwide. “This is a dark day for everyone involved in football and an unimaginable tragedy. I offer my deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims who lost their lives after this tragic incident,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin also expressed “on behalf of European football our deep shock and sorrow”. Pope Francis also expressed deep shock. “I also pray for those who lost their lives and were injured in the clashes that followed a football match in Malang, Indonesia,” said the head of the Catholic Church.
Government appoints task force to look into what happened
In Indonesia, meanwhile, the process of coming to terms with the deadly events has begun. On Monday (local time), the government convened a special meeting with senior security officials. As a result, the appointment of an independent team of experts was presented, which is to clarify the background of the disaster. The ‘Joint Independent Fact Finding Team’ will consist of government officials, representatives of the football association, experts and journalists, announced Security Minister Mohammad Mahfud. In addition, the national police are to start investigations into persons possibly responsible for the disaster on the instructions of the government.
For the crucial question is how this tragedy could have happened in the first place. Harsh criticism is levelled at the local police as well as the security forces. In the packed arena in Malang with 42,000 spectators, a number of spectators stormed the pitch after the home team Arema FC lost 3-2 to Persebaya FC. However, as fans of the visitors had been denied access to the stadium from the outset due to the bitter rivalry between the two teams, these were exclusively Arema supporters. They obviously wanted to vent their displeasure about the defeat on the players and coaches.
The police in full protective gear reacted with massive use of tear gas and tried to push the fans back with batons. However, the question arises as to why the police used tear gas at all in the square that was crowded with fans. This probably triggered the mass panic with its catastrophic consequences. Most of the victims had suffocated or been trampled to death while trying to reach the emergency exits.
“The most disturbing thing is that this disaster could have been prevented if the police had avoided such excessive, unnecessary violence,” the Jakarta Post newspaper commented, adding that someone must be held accountable for this “dark episode in Indonesian football” and brought to justice if necessary. Phil Robertson, the deputy Asia director of the NGO ‘Human Rights Watch’ pointed out that “FIFA’s own rules prohibit the use of ‘crowd control gas’ in stadiums”. However, local authorities and national associations can decide on their own rules for security at their competitions, and FIFA’s regulations then only apply as a recommendation in such a case.
Indonesia faces loss of major sporting events because of tear gas use
The processing of the tragedy as well as possible legal consequences for those responsible will also decide Indonesia’s indirect future as a sports nation. After all, the up-and-coming island nation is scheduled to host the U-20 World Cup next year, and Indonesia has also applied to host the Asian Championship in 2023. “The consequences of the Malang tragedy will be far-reaching,” predicted the Jakarta Post. The country faces a ban from hosting international competitions “mainly because of the use of tear gas, which is strictly forbidden under FIFA regulations”.