Yaoundé stadium disaster
| The stadium 15 days before the disaster | |
| Date | 24 January 2022 |
|---|---|
| Venue | Olembe Stadium |
| Location | Yaoundé, Cameroon |
| Coordinates | 03°57′03′′N 11°32′26′′E / 3.95083°N 11.54056°E / 3.95083; 11.54056 |
| Deaths | 8 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 38 |
On 24 January 2022, at least eight people were killed in a crowd crush at the south entrance of Olembe Stadium in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The incident occurred as fans were attempting to enter the arena to watch a football match between Cameroon and the Comoros at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.[1] [2]
Background
[edit ]The Confederation of African Football decided to move a quarter final and semifinal of the Africa Cup of Nations from Japoma Stadium in Douala, the economic capital of Cameroon, to Olembe Stadium with just four days' notice.[3]
COVID-19 restrictions meant that only 80 percent of the stadium's capacity could be filled, and fans were required to be fully vaccinated and present a negative COVID-19 test to enter.[3]
Disaster
[edit ]Before the fourth match in the knockout stage between hosts Cameroon and the Comoros, which kicked off at 20:00 on 24 January 2022 at the Olembe Stadium, a crush developed at the south entrance to the stadium. Security officers directed fans towards a locked entrance gate. When the gate was opened, a surge of people came through and trampled each other, killing eight. 38 others were injured, with seven in critical condition.[4] The match continued, even after the crush.[5]
Aftermath
[edit ]According to the World Health Organization, the influx of victims "quickly overwhelmed nearby hospitals". The WHO said that this would have been avoided if the hospital staff had better training and if they had an effective mass casualty management plan.[6]
Following the event, the quarter-final match scheduled to take place at Olembe Stadium the following week was relocated to Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium.[1]
President Paul Biya offered his condolences to the families of the victims[7] and ordered an investigation into the crush. Manaouda Malachie, the Cameroonian minister of health, "pledged government support for the victims during a tour of hospitals".[8] Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, the sports minister of Cameroon, said that the decision to open the south gate was "reckless".[9]
The Confederation of African Football's investigation into the disaster was announced to focus on who closed the south gate to the stadium. The president of the CAF, Patrice Motsepe, said that the crush should have been prevented and that such loss of life will "never happen again".[1]
The stadium was authorized to reopen on 30 January after the Confederation of African Football lifted the suspension placed on the stadium. This allowed one of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals to be played there in early February.[10]
See also
[edit ]- Yaoundé nightclub fire, which happened the previous day
- Gelora Bandung Lautan Api crowd crush, similar disaster happened in Indonesia
- Crowd collapses and crushes § Crowd "stampedes"
References
[edit ]- ^ a b c Kouam, Joel; McCluskey, Mitchell; Klosok, Aleks (24 January 2022). "AFCON: Report into deadly stadium crush will focus on who closed gate that led to loss of lives". CNN . Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ "Afcon 2021: Quarter-final at Olembe Stadium to be moved after fatal crush". BBC Sport. 26 January 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
- ^ a b "Olembe tragedy scars legacy of Cameroon's Cup of Nations". Radio France Internationale . Agence France-Press. 2 June 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
- ^ Wilson, Jonathan; Ames, Nick (25 January 2022). "'Why did people have to die?': Cameroon mourns after stadium tragedy". The Guardian . Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ Kouagheu, Josiane (25 January 2022). "Stadium stampede kills eight in Africa Cup of Nations soccer match". Reuters . Retrieved 2 February 2025.
- ^ "The World Health Organization Academy strengthened Cameroon's preparedness for mass casualty incidents management". World Health Organization . 23 January 2025. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
- ^ Ames, Nick (25 January 2022). "Eight killed after crush outside Africa Cup of Nations match in Cameroon". The Guardian . Retrieved 2 February 2025.
- ^ Myers, Paul (25 January 2022). "Fan stampede kills at least eight and injures dozens before Cameroon game". Radio France Internationale . Retrieved 2 February 2025.
- ^ Myers, Paul (29 January 2022). "Olembé Stadium tragedy: sports minister condemns 'reckless' move to open gate". Radio France Internationale . Retrieved 2 February 2025.
- ^ "CAN-2022 : après la bousculade mortelle, le stade d'Olembé rouvre pour une demi-finale et la finale". France 24 (in French). 30 January 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2025.