Wednesday 1 April 2009

African soccer stadium tragedies 2000-09

29th March 2009; Abidjan, Ivory Coast: 19 fans died and more than 100 others were injured in a stampede before a World Cup qualifier between Ivory Coast and Malawi. This tragedy marked the ninth time this decade that fans were killed at a major soccer match in Africa -- and the fifth time at a World Cup qualifier:
23rd April 2000, Monrovia, Liberia: Three people suffocated as thousands of fans forced their way into an overcrowded stadium to watch a World Cup qualifying game between Liberia and Chad.
9th July 2000, Harare, Zimbabwe: 13 fans died after police fired tear gas into a crowd estimated at 50,000 during a World Cup qualifying game between Zimbabwe and South Africa
11th April 2001, Johannesburg, South Africa: 43 people were killed and 155 injured as fans try to push into an overcrowded Ellis Park to watch Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.
29th April 2001, Lubumbashi, Congo: Seven people were crushed to death in a stampede after police fired tear gas into unruly crowd during a game between Lupopo and Mazembe, the top two teams in southern Congo.
9th May 2001, Accra, Ghana: The worst stadium disaster ever in Africa took place as at least 123 people died in a stampede after police fired tear gas into the stands in response to Asante fans who threw bottles and chairs on the field during the game between Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko.
11th October 2004, Lome, Togo: Four people were killed and another eight injured during a stampede after a power outage knocked out the lights at the end of a World Cup 2006 qualifier between Togo and Mali.
3rd June 2007, Lusaka, Zambia: 12 fans were crushed to death as a crowd rushed from the stadium after Zambia's victory in a 2008 African Cup qualifier against Congo.
1st June 2008, Monrovia, Liberia: At least eight fans were crushed and suffocated in melees outside the gates of an overcrowded Samuel K. Doe Stadium before a World Cup qualifier between Liberia and Gambia.
Huh. Olly

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