December 7 – Indonesian club football returned this week behind closed doors after 135 people died after a stampede following a match at Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang, East Java province on October 1.
Four matches in Indonesia’s top flight Liga 1 were completed on Monday after the government announced the league could restart but without fans in stadia.
“The football league (season) will be finished. The scheduled (matches) that were determined previously will be completed,” Indonesian chief security minister Mahfud MD said, adding that the government’s decision was made “to support the future of the national football.”
Sports and Youth Minister Zainudin Amali said the Indonesia’s national team “needed” the competition to prepare for the AFF Championship. Next year the country will host the U-20 World Cup from May-June, in multiple cities across the nation.
Amali said matches will be held “with strict guidance” from the police and the country’s football association.
The Kanjuruhan stadium disaster happened after supporters invaded the pitch at the end of a league match between local team Arema FC and rivals Persebaya Surabaya. Police fired tear gas into packed stands, sparking a stampede.
Following the tragedy, president Joko Widodo suspended the league, and ordered an investigation into the disaster. FIFA president Gianni Infantino visited the country and said that FIFA would provide support and that there was no plan to move the U-20 World Cup hosing.
Six people have now been officially charged over the tragedy, three of them police officers.
Three police officers are among six people who have been charged over the tragedy.
There has also been a call for Indonesia’s football association chief Mohammad Iriawan and all of the association’s executive committee members to resign.
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