JAKARTA: President Joko Widodo has assured that Indonesia will not be subjected to a sanction from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) over the October 1, 2022, stampede at Kanjuruhan Stadium in East Java’s Malang district.
“Based on the letter (from FIFA), alhamdulillah (thank God), the Indonesian football is not liable to a sanction from FIFA,” the President said while issuing a press statement on Friday night.
The letter was a follow-up to a telephonic conversation between Widodo and FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Monday (October 3).
According to the letter, FIFA and the Indonesian government will set up an Indonesian football transformation team. FIFA will set up an office in Indonesia during the transformation process.
“FIFA, along with the government, will set up an Indonesian football transformation team,” he informed.
On October 1 night, thousands of Arema FC supporters were left trapped in Kanjuruhan Stadium after some supporters stormed the pitch following the team’s 2-3 loss to Persebaya Surabaya. In response, police fired tear gas, triggering a stampede.
In a press statement issued on October 2, East Java Regional Police chief, Inspector General Nico Afinta, said that Arema FC supporters were disappointed by the match’s outcome and so they stormed the pitch to confront players and officials.
According to Afinta, tear gas was fired because the angry supporters could have endangered the football players and officials.
“Because of the tear gas, they rushed to an exit point and triggered a stamped as they suffered shortness of breath, lack of oxygen,” he said.
According to data from the Malang District Health Office, the Kanjuruhan Stadium tragedy left 131people dead, 440 people lightly injured, and 29 people seriously injured.
In response to the tragedy, President Joko Widodo formed a joint independent fact-finding team (TGIPF) comprising 13 members. Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD was made the chairperson of the team and Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali its deputy head.
The team has been asked to complete its probe into the tragedy in one month’s time.
Meanwhile, the National Police have named six suspects in the incident, including three police personnel. The three other suspects are from the football match’s organising committee: PT Liga Indonesia Baru president director, chief of Arema FC’s organizing committee, and a security guard at Kanjuruhan stadium.
