After Kanjuruhan Stadium Tragedy, PSSI Ensures Panpel And Arema Malang Will Be Heavily Sanctioned

The riots at the Malang Arruhan Stadium after the Arema FC vs Persebaya match caused at least 125 people to die. (Antara/H Prabowo)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) has confirmed that Arema Malang and the Organizing Committee (Panpel) for the Arema vs Persebaya Surabaya match at the Kanjuruhan Stadium will be heavily sanctioned.

It is known that as many as 125 people died in the Indonesian football tragedy at the Kanjuruhan Stadium, Malang, East Java, after Arema Malang suffered a defeat against Persebaya Surabaya, Saturday, October 1

"Severe sanctions await Arema Malang as well as the Panpelnya because this incident is an extraordinary and very extraordinary incident," said PSSI Secretary General Yunus Nusi to reporters in Jakarta, Sunday, October 2, if it was noon.

When asked about the audience capacity that exceeds the stadium's capacity, Yunus said that he was still waiting for an investigation from the investigation team in Malang, East Java.

As is known, information circulated in the Arema match against Persebaya, the organizing committee scored tickets beyond capacity. The reason is that 40 thousand tickets were printed, while the capacity of the stadium was only 32 thousand spectators.

"Because this involves numbers and administration, we are waiting for the investigation team and of course that is also a very priority for investigation," he concluded.

Previously, riots broke out after Arema suffered a 2-3 defeat to Persebaya Surabaya in the 2022 Liga 1 match, at the Kanjuruhan Stadium. A number of disappointed supporters burst into the field.

As a result, the situation got out of control. Police also fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. However, it just got worse. The crowd became panicked because of the tear gas content that hurt the body.

As a result, many people died from being trampled and suffocated by tear gas.