By McGeorge Mbare
Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Dr.Patrice Motsepe has expressed his sadness following a stadium stampede that claimed over 50 fans lives Guinea.
According to CAF media, the tragedy happened during a friendly football tournament at Stade du 3 Avril between city of N’Zerekore and city of Labe. The stampede stadium tragedy has claimed over 50 lives and left others injured.
Some reports indicate that the atmosphere in the stadium got out of hand following a decision by the referee to send2 off two players from the visiting team Label and awarded a controversial penalty kick.
Following the news of fans losing their lives, the CAF President conveyed his and CAF‘s deepest condolences to the families of the deceased, the federation Guineenne de football (FGF) leadership and the people of Guinea. Additionally Dr. Motsepe wished the injured football fans speed recovery mercies.
“May the souls of the departed rest in eternal peace,” Motsepe said.
Stampede at African stadiums is not something new, in 2022, about eight people died and 38 were injured in a stampede when fans stormed a stadium hosting an AFCON match in Cameroon. In 2001, CAF mourned the death of 126 people at Accra sports stadium in Ghana, making it the worst stadium disaster ever taken in Africa and here at home, 13 football supporters lost their lives in a stampede at the National Sports Stadium, in a disaster that unfolded during a 2002 World Cup qualifier between Zimbabwe and South Africa.