- Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - Stampede injures 20 at pre-World Cup friendly
- Date: 7th June 2010
- Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (JUNE 6, 2010) (REUTERS) PEOPLE OUTSIDE STADIUM VARIOUS OF SECURITY OUTSIDE STADIUM RIOT POLICE PUSHING FANS AWAY FAN IN FRONT OF RIOT POLICEWOMAN STADIUM TRIBUNES THROUGH BARBED WIRE AMBULANCE LEAVING (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNIDENTIFIED MALE EYEWITNESS, SAYING: "I have a ticket now. I should be now inside there to watch the game, I think the game is finished and I don't know why. That's the problem. I'm a South African people but I like Nigeria." PEOPLE PRESENTING TICKETS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANOTHER UNIDENTIFIED MALE EYEWITNESS, SAYING: "This is the ticket for the Nigeria match. Understand they're given from Nigerian consulate to go and watch and support our country to win the game. Now they didn't allow us to go inside." POLICE OUTSIDE GATE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MVELI NHLAPHO, EKURULENI POLICE SPOKESPERSON, SAYING: "There was a problem of the number of the people who tried to come to the stadium. Unfortunately, before people come in there was no proper condition of the organisers of the game. Unfortunately, some people got hurt during the process. Then now some people taken to hospital due to those injuries. Then at least there's people who are having tickets outside the stadium and others who don't have tickets wanted to come in by force by and then they were forced by members of law enforcement agencies to be stopped not to have the access to come inside the stadium." CLOTHING AND SHOES ON THE GROUND
- Embargoed: 22nd June 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: South Africa
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Sports
- Reuters ID: LVAKYM07LAS4DPNWS8GZAGHI09Z
- Story Text: At least 20 people, including one policeman, were injured after a stampede broke out during a pre-World Cup friendly match at the Makhulong Stadium between Nigeria and North Korea on Sunday (June 6), police said.
The match was stopped around five minutes early in the second half because of the injuries and safety of the fans in the overcrowded main stand where the fencing had been removed.
Hundreds of fans, holding what police said were photocopies of tickets, tried to break down the gates after the match had started.
"I have a ticket now. I should be now inside there to watch the game, I think the game is finished and I don't know why. That's the problem. I'm a South African people but I like Nigeria," said one football fan.
"This is the ticket for the Nigeria match. Understand they're given from Nigerian consulate to go and watch and support our country to win the game. Now they didn't allow us to go inside," added another, waiting outside the gates.
Police spokesman Mveli Nhlapo said the number of injuries had risen to 20, some of whom were taken to hospital. Precise figures were not immediately available.
"There was a problem of the number of the people who tried to come to the stadium. Unfortunately, before people come in there was no proper condition of the organisers of the game. Unfortunately, some people got hurt during the process," he said, adding that some had been taken to hospital where they were treated for injuries.
The injured police officer was hurt when mostly Nigerian fans pushed the gate on to him in their effort to enter the 10,000-seater stadium to watch the match between the two World Cup participants.
Among those injured was at least one child, according to a Reuters witness.
"Others who don't have tickets wanted to come in by force by and then they were forced by members of law enforcement agencies to be stopped not to have the access to come inside the stadium," Nhlapo said.
Medics said they had transferred 13 people to hospital but some of them had only minor scrapes.
Some 500 fans remained in the area around the stadium after the stampede. Inside the stadium there were still many empty seats as the match was not sold out. The tournament kicks off on Friday, June 11. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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