After the stadium disaster on the Indonesian island of Java, President Joko Widodo visited the bereaved of the 133 victims.
Any family who lost a loved one in last weekend’s tragedy will receive 50 million rupees (about 3,300 euros) in support, a Widodo official said on Wednesday. The President wanted to symbolically hand over the money to those affected during his visit. According to the authorities, 37 minors were among the dead.
Thousands of fans stormed onto the pitch at Kanjuruhan Stadium last Saturday after the end of the Premier League match between Arema FC and Persebaya FC in the city of Malang. The police reacted violently with batons and used tear gas on a massive scale.
After the tragedy, investigations follow
A stampede ensued as fans attempted to reach the emergency exits. Most of the victims died from lack of oxygen or were trampled to death. Hundreds of spectators were injured. It is one of the worst stadium disasters in football history.
The Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) said a delay in opening the doors contributed to the disaster. “Some doors were not opened. The reason was that those who were asked to open them did not do so immediately,” said Erwin Tobing, a member of the PSSI Disciplinary Committee.
National Police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo, on the other hand, said the exits were open but too narrow: “Hundreds struggled to get out, leading to a mass rush.”
On Tuesday, the association issued two Arema FC officials with a lifetime ban. The police chief of the city of Malang, Ferli Hidayat, was relieved of his post on Monday. Nine other officers were suspended. Dozens of other police officers are being investigated. In addition, Arema will not be allowed to host any more games for the rest of the season.