100 killed, people enraged over referee’s controversial decision, police station burnt down
Nearly 100 people died in violence during a football match on Sunday in Guinea’s second largest city, Jerekor. According to the New York Times, a match was going on between Labé and Jerekor football teams on Sunday. During this, the match referee gave a controversial decision, due to which a fight broke out between the two teams. Seeing the fight, the spectators also entered the field and started violence.
A controversial refereeing decision sparked violence and a crush at a soccer match in southeast Guinea, killing 56 people, according to a provisional toll, the government said https://t.co/aLctaXGCFY pic.twitter.com/tJ8vEjpkCR
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 2, 2024
According to AFP report, people also vandalized and set fire to a police station in N’Jerekore. Giving information about the incident, a doctor at a local hospital said –
In the hospital, bodies are lined up as far as the eye can see. Others are lying on the floor in the corridors. The morgue is full.
This match was being held in honor of Guinea Army General Mamadi Doumbouya
Doumbouya, who declared himself an army general, toppled the government of President Alpha Conde in September 2021 and took power himself. Due to international pressure, he had said that he would hold elections by the end of 2024, but so far there is no sign of elections.
​​​​​​Dombouya promoted himself from colonel to lieutenant general in January 2024. Last month he declared himself Guinea’s army general.
During Doumbouya’s tenure, opposition leaders were put in jail. According to experts, Doumbouya may hold elections next year. Doumbouya may also contest the elections. Therefore, to increase his popularity, he is organizing football tournaments in different parts of the country.
Two years ago, similar accident happened in Indonesia
A similar accident happened in Indonesia in the year 2022. Then 174 people died due to a stampede during a football match. 2 policemen also lost their lives in this accident. During the match, after a team lost, its fans entered the field. To control this crowd, the police had to lathicharge and fire tear gas shells.
The match was between Arema Football Club and Persebaya Surabaya. During the match, about 42 thousand spectators were present in the stadium. All these spectators were fans of Arema Football Club. The organizers had banned the entry of Persebaya Surabaya fans because they wanted to avoid any kind of disturbance.