Olembe Stadium crush: Cameroonians express shock and anger
As football fans reel over the deaths of at least eight people outside Olembe Stadium, questions have been raised as to how the tragedy unfolded. There had been concerns about poor preparation ahead of the tournament.
Investigations are underway after at least eight people were killed and dozens more injured in a stampede outside a match at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) football tournament in Cameroon’s capital, Yaounde.
The crush took place as large crowds tried to enter Olembe Stadium, where the host country was playing Comoros in a highly anticipated final-16 knockout game.
“Eight deaths were recorded, two women in their 30s, four men in their 30s, one child, one body taken away by the family,” said a preliminary report from the Public Health Ministry.
The tragedy has realized ongoing fears over the capacity of Cameroon to stage the continent’s largest sporting event.
“The local population is angry because information isn’t coming in on exactly what happened,” correspondent Blaise Eong told DW. “People are also angry that security forces outside the stadium could not contain the fans that were rushing into the stadium.”
Cameroonian President Paul Biya has ordered an investigation “so that all light is shed on this tragic incident,” Communications Minister Rene Emmanuel Sadi said.
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Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe on Tuesday called for an immediate probe into the crush, with the first report to be submitted on Friday.
“There is no excuse for what has happened. We must show responsibility when people lose their lives and are injured,” he said.
“We will have very tough and very hard discussions behind closed doors,” he added.
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“According to police sources on the ground, people tried to force their way into the stadium, and that’s when the stampede happened,” Eong said.
Witnesses on the ground at the time of the stampede said the crowd was surging towards an open entrance gate after a long wait outside the stadium. When stewards closed the gate, people continued trying to push forward.
“When the security guys finally began opening the gates, with all the anxiety and having been locked out, people pushed the security guys away and forced themselves inside,” witness Marie Asongafack said.
People assist victims of a stampede outside a stadium in Yaounde, Cameroon