Indonesian president says there aren’t any FIFA sanctions after stadium catastrophe | New


Joko Widodo stated FIFA President Gianni Infantino wrote to him about collaborations with Indonesian soccer.

Indonesia is not going to face sanctions from world soccer governing physique FIFA over police use of tear gasoline in a crowded soccer stadium that led to a stampede and crush that killed 131 individuals, together with 17 youngsters.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo stated FIFA President Gianni Infantino had written to him in a letter about potential collaborations between Indonesia and FIFA, and that the nation would proceed to host the FIFA World Cup. beneath 20 subsequent 12 months, joined by 24 international locations from 5 continents.

“Based mostly on the letter, thank God Indonesian soccer shouldn’t be sanctioned by FIFA,” Widodo stated in a tweet and video posted on the presidential workplace’s YouTube channel late Friday night time.

Widodo had visited the Kanjuruhan Soccer Stadium in Malang MetropolisEast Java on Wednesday the place he stated locked gates contributed to the deaths of 131 individuals following the Oct. 1 recreation between arch-rivals Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya.

After house aspect Arema misplaced, followers flooded the pitch and police fired rounds of tear gasoline to manage what they stated had been “riots”.

Choking gasoline clouds sparked a stampede as panicked onlookers rushed to the exit doorways which a number of witnesses informed Al Jazeera they had been both locked in or blocked by police.

Spectators suffocated within the chaos whereas others had been trampled to dying. No less than 34 individuals, together with two law enforcement officials, died on the stadium. Many later died of their accidents.

In its safety protocols for soccer occasions, FIFA advises in opposition to using tear gasoline in or round stadiums and recommends that exit doorways be unlocked always throughout a match.

Widodo additionally stated that the Indonesian authorities has agreed to take collaborative measures with FIFA and the Asian Soccer Confederation to enhance stadium safety to keep away from one other tragedy.

FIFA’s Infantino may also be visiting Indonesia within the close to future, he stated.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaking at the 2022 Global Health Innovation Summit in Doha, holding a microphone, wearing a suit
FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks in the course of the World Well being Innovation Summit 2022 in Doha, Qatar on October 6, 2022 [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]

Probably the most harmful

The Nationwide Soccer Affiliation of Indonesia, regionally generally known as PSSI, has lengthy struggled to handle nationwide soccer and Indonesia is called one of the crucial harmful international locations to observe a soccer match.

Securing the suitable to host the U-20 World Cup subsequent 12 months was a milestone within the growth of Indonesian soccer, elevating hopes {that a} profitable match would resolve long-standing points which have plagued the game within the nation, the place greater than 277 million individuals stay.

Since final weekend’s tragedy, the home league has been suspended.

Widodo has ordered the sports activities minister, the nationwide police chief and the soccer federation to hold out an intensive investigation into the lethal crush on the stadium.

Indonesia’s nationwide police chief stated on Thursday that the stadium doesn’t have a correct working certificates and that prison fees will probably be filed in opposition to six individuals, together with three law enforcement officials.

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