JAKARTA - Bad news came from the last 16 of the African Cup of Nations which brought together Cameroon and Comoros. The match which took place on Tuesday, January 25 in the early hours of West Indonesia Time, claimed lives.
Reporting from Reuters on Tuesday, at least six people died ahead of the match. The six victims are believed to have died due to overcrowding while trying to enter the Olembe Stadium in Cameroon's capital, Yaounde.
In addition to the six people who died, there were also injured victims who were rushed to the nearest hospital. The number even exceeds tens of people and continues to grow.
The surge in spectators at the Cameroon vs. Comoros match this time occurred because the local government distributed free tickets to attract spectators. It was later discovered that the distribution of free tickets was carried out following the first round of matches which were empty of spectators.
However, considering that the match took place in the midst of the increasing COVID-19 situation, the stadium finally decided not to open its full capacity. They even only opened about less than 80 percent of the available capacity.
Previously it was known that the Olembe Stadium actually had a capacity of around 80 thousand spectators. However, ahead of the Cameroon vs. Comoros match, the number of supporters present was estimated at more than 50 thousand people, even though the capacity was not fully opened.
In response to this incident, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) moved quickly. They are currently investigating the incident that killed at least six people and injured dozens more.
"CAF is currently investigating the situation and trying to get more details on what happened. We are in constant communication with the Cameroonian government and the Local Organizing Committee," CAF said.
Apart from that incident, the last 16 match was won by Cameroon as the host. They closed the game with a thin score 2-1 over the Comoros.
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