Foreign

INDONESIA’S President, Joko Widodo, on Wednesday visited the families of victims of last weekend’s football stadium stampede, which left more than 130 people dead.

The visit came amid calls for accountability in the aftermath of one of the world’s deadliest sports disasters.

Widodo would symbolically hand over 50 million rupiahs (3,300 dollars) in assistance to each family who lost a loved one in the stampede at Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang on Saturday night, his aide said.

Some 133 people died in the disaster, including 37 minors aged 17 or younger, the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection said.

Chaos erupted after thousands of fans invaded the Kanjuruhan Stadium pitch after hosts Arema FC lost 3-2 to rival East Java club Persebaya Surabaya.

Police fired tear gas to try to quell the pitch invaders, sending spectators scrambling to the exit gates.

The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) said on Tuesday that a delay in opening the gates contributed to the stampede.

“Some doors were not opened. The reason was there those who were asked to open didn’t do it immediately,’’ said Erwin Tobing, a member of the association’s disciplinary committee.

But national police spokesperson Dedi Prasetyo said that the gates near the scene of the stampede were open but were too small.

“The doors were not closed but they were too narrow hundreds struggled to get out, causing a stampede,’’ he told reporters late Tuesday.

PSSI on Tuesday announced that two officials belonging to Arema FC, which was hosting the ill-fated match, would be banned from professional football for life. (dpa/NAN)

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Tags: Joko Widodo