Spectator safety continues to be a problem at soccer matches, as eight people were killed and scores more were injured at a Senegal Premier League final over the weekend.
According to a report from Aljazeera, fans of Ouakam and Sade de Mbour clashed Saturday as they were leaving the game. Police fired tear gas into the crowd, which resulted in a stampede as panic spread throughout the stadium.
Adding to the chaos, a wall that supported bleacher seating collapsed after police started firing the tear gas canisters into the crowd.
Matar Ba, the Senegalese sports minister, said a young girl was among the dead and more than 60 other fans were injured and taken to local health facilities. Ba vowed “strong measures” would be taken so that such an event “will never be repeated in Senegal.” The BBC put the number of injured closer to 100.
The clash between fans apparently began when US Ouakam supporters began throwing stones at Stade de Mbour fans after Mbour scored in extra time to go ahead 2-1.
Cheikh Maba Diop, a spectator at the match whose friend died when the wall collapsed, told the Associated Foreign Press, "All of a sudden when the wall fell... we knew exactly that some of our own had lost their lives because the wall fell directly onto people."
The BBC reported that Senegal’s Football Federation has temporarily suspended US Ouakam until the FSF can decide on sanctions against the team
