A stampede left eight dead and around fifty injured on Monday evening in front of a stadium in Yaoundé, before an African Cup of Nations match between Cameroon and the Comoros. Among the deceased is a child. According to the Ministry of Health, the stampede occurred at the southern entrance to the Olembé stadium in Yaoundé. The victims were “immediately transported” in ambulances but “the intense road traffic has slowed down transport”according to the report.
A baby was also trampled by the crowd, still outside the stadium, when the health pass was checked, according to the Ministry of Health. The baby, “immediately extirpated and taken to the general hospital of Yaoundé”, is in a state “medically stable”, the ministry said. According to the health authorities, of the fifty injured, two are polytraumatized and two others suffer from head trauma.
This tragedy took place before the round of 16 match of the African Cup of Nations, in which Cameroon beat Comoros 2-1. A few minutes after the final whistle of the match, there were no more traces of the stampede around the stadium, noted an AFP journalist.
investigative committee
The African Football Confederation (CAF), which organizes the continent’s flagship competition, relocated in disaster the next match which was to be held in the stadium, a quarter-final. “I say that the meeting scheduled for Sunday at the Olembé stadium will not take place, it will be played at the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium. [l’autre grand stade de Yaoundé, ndlr]»said Patrice Motsepe, the president of CAF, during a press conference on Tuesday.
“A commission needs to be set up to immediately investigate what happened and find out who was supposed to do what and who didn’t, didn’t fulfill obligations. And we want their report by Friday, he specifies. It is only after the detailed report that we will make the decision whether or not to return to Olembé.”
For his part, Cameroonian President Paul Biya has ordered an investigation “so that all the light is shed on this tragic incident”.
80% gauge
The Olembé stadium, with a capacity of 60,000 seats, was specially built for the CAN. To prevent the spread of the coronavirus, a 60% stadium filling gauge had been introduced, increased to 80% when the Indomitable Lions, players of the Cameroon national team, play. There are still scheduled a semi-final on Thursday and the final on February 6.
Before this accident, similar tragedies have bereaved the world of football in Africa in recent years. Thus, on July 15, 2017, eight people were killed and hundreds injured in a crowd movement at the Demba-Diop stadium in Dakar, after clashes between supporters during the Coupe de la Ligue final.
The most dramatic toll for this type of tragedy in the world was recorded at the Nacional stadium in Lima in May 1964, when a disallowed goal in the Olympic Games qualifier between Peru and Argentina sparked a general brawl. and a crowd movement in the stands, killing 320 and injuring a thousand.
Update at 4:20 p.m. with the decision to relocate the next scheduled match to the Olembé stadium.