The fatal stampede at a football stadium in Indonesia has rocked the foundations of the most popular sport in the nation and was the result of years of inefficiency and brutality, according to experts.
Following a high-level match, a tragedy last week that left 131 people dead, including 32 children, compelled officials and supporters to address flaws in every facet of the national game.
Football experts in Indonesia complain about unstable infrastructure, poor administration, hours-long lines to exit ageing stadiums, and the potential for enraged emotions to become violent, which has claimed many lives since the 1990s.The wake-up call has cost us dearly, according to Indonesian football analyst Mohamad Kusnaeni.
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President Joko Widodo paid a visit to the tragedy site on Wednesday, ordering an examination of all stadiums, and citing the 78,000-seat Jakarta national stadium as the benchmark for the entire 18-team league.
Only two individuals could fit through each gate at the 42,000-seat Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang, East Java, according to officials. Some of the gates also did not open on time.Since home team hooligans have occasionally waited with guns on highways to attack their opponents’ coaches, players now travel to away games in armoured cars, and away fans are now prohibited from attending the greatest derbies.
Some sports enthusiasts sport jerseys with the phrase “sampai mati,” or until demise. In certain instances, mobs have murdered rival supporters.
According to experts, the rivalry between East Java’s two largest cities, Malang and Surabaya, is the actual cause of the hostility between Arema and Persebaya Surabaya.
However, there is a chance that something positive could emerge from one of the biggest mishaps in sports history.The commentator Kusnaeni remarked, “This is the impetus for all followers to realise that football is about supporting your favourite team and not about disliking the other team.”
“The supporters need to alter their outlook.”
Persebaya Surabaya and Arema’s owners have spoken to one another about their rivalry. Representatives of the fans also met.
