Preventing Unnecessary Victims

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Football lovers light candles at the entrance of Asia Africa, Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, Sunday (2/10/2022) night. They held a flower-laying event, lit 1,000 candles and prayed together to honor Aremania who was the victim of the Kanjuruhan Tragedy after Arema FC's match against Persebaya Surabaya.

Indonesia mourns the death of more than 100 spectators in the Arema FC match against Persebaya Surabaya. Our football system needs improvement.

Various efforts to prevent riots on Saturday (1/10/2022) evening at Kanjuruhan Stadium, Malang regency, East Java, have been made. This is understandable; it was a big game, the East Java club derby, namely Arema from Malang and Persebaya from Surabaya. The competition between the two teams is one of the classic rivalries in the BRI Liga 1 Indonesia.

One effort made was asking Persebaya supporters not to be present at Kanjuruhan, and the agreement was fulfilled. Therefore, only Arema fans, nicknamed “Aremania”, were present at Kanjuruhan, or residents of Malang and its surroundings who wanted to watch Liga 1, the highest caste of our football league.

The game on the field was really interesting. The visiting team, Persebaya, won with a narrow score of 3-2. The victory of the "Bajul Ijo" team dismissed the unpleasant assumption that had been entertained in our league so far -- that the host always won, or "be won".

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However, the completion of the 2 x 45-minute match without incident does not mean that there were no problems. Problems began to arise when the spectators entered the field. This is prohibited, according to the Laws of the Game of the International Federation of Football Association (FIFA), and the regulations that follow.

Not surprisingly, in various matches in Europe, when a spectator suddenly enters the field, a number of officers swiftly arrest him. Spectators are also prohibited from approaching the bench because only those who have valid accreditation are entitled to be on the bench.

KOMPAS/DAHLIA IRAWATI

Officers examine the bodies of victims of rioting foot ball fans at Wava Husada Hospital, Malang Regency, East Java, Sunday (2/10/2022).

What happened in Kanjuruhan on Saturday evening is that thousands of spectators descended from the stands, and the organizers and security forces failed to stop them. The extent to which the security officers were prepared is a big question mark. Moreover, information circulated about ticket sales that exceeded the regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic -- namely 75 percent of the total stadium capacity, or 45,449 spectators.

The management of the mass, in this case the spectators, is key in managing this problem. Spectator traffic, both when entering and leaving the stadium, should be a common concern, and must be anticipated from the start.

The Kanjuruhan tragedy underscores the message of the urgency of reforming our football system. Do not let spectators become unnecessary victims in the future.

The use of tear gas by the police, which has been banned by FIFA, is another aspect that must also be explored. Why has information about the FIFA ban not been disseminated in Indonesia? Has Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) been optimal as a football federation in Indonesia to disseminate it?

We have learned many lessons. Disasters in several countries, such as in in Lima, Peru, in 1964, with 318 deaths; the tragedy in Accra, Ghana, with 126 deaths in 2001; and the Hillsborough tragedy in Sheffield, England, with 97 people killed in 1989, should remind us to quickly improve our football security systems.

The Kanjuruhan tragedy underscores the message of the urgency of reforming our football system. Do not let spectators become unnecessary victims in the future.

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.