According to officials, a crush outside a stadium in Cameroon’s capital hosting an Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) event killed at least eight people and injured more than 35 others. Crowds attempted to enter the 60,000-seat Yaounde Olembe stadium on Monday to watch the host nation beat Comoros 2-1 in Africa’s best football competition to advance to the quarter-finals.
“Eight deaths were recorded, two women in their 30s, four men in their 30s, one child, one body taken away by the family,” said a preliminary health ministry report obtained by AFP on Tuesday.
The Confederation of African Football, which oversees the continent’s premier tournament, said it was “investigating the incident and attempting to obtain further details on what transpired.”
Cameroon authorities have flung open stadium gates, organized mass transportation, and given out free tickets to entice supporters after dismal turnout in the first round games at brand new stadiums erected for the AFCON.
In 2001, 43 people died in a stampede at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park stadium during a game between the Orlando Pirates and the Kaizer Chiefs. In Liverpool in 1989, 96 people were killed in a crush at the Hillsborough stadium in Britain’s worst sporting tragedy.
