Not a Sport: The Deadly Indonesian Football Stampede

Sports have been a big part of our daily lives since the dawn of human society, and losses are hard to bear. History shows that rioting and anarchy are usually what follows. One such occurrence happened on Saturday, October 1 at the Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang, East Java, Indonesia. The rush was caused by an Arema FC football game against Persebaya Surabaya. After Arema FC's 3-2 loss to Persebaya Surabaya, throngs of furious fans stormed the field and threw bottles and other items at players and officials. The Associated Press said that as the rioting spread outside, people wrecked and overturned police cars.

The catastrophe at the stadium seemed to be the worst to occur in many years. Later, when the police used tear gas, many people panicked and raced for the doors. Wiyanto Wijoyo, the director of Malang's health agency, said that 125 people had died and 323 had been injured. The safety rules set forth by FIFA, the world football's governing body, forbid the employment of any crowd control agents or weapons. Indonesia's PSSI football association has been deployed to Malang to conduct an investigation after FIFA requested a report on the incident.

According to a government official, 32 children were among those slain on Saturday. The government will put together a fact-finding team made up of academics, soccer experts, and authorities to look into what happened, according to chief security minister Mahfud MD. Mourners gathered on Monday in front of the stadium. Others prayed and sobbed, including the club's manager Ali Fikri, while others laid flowers on an Arema squad shirt.