Today marks the 22nd anniversary of the worst stadium disaster in Africa and the third-deadliest in the world. On May 9, 2001, about 126 football fans died in a stampede after a match between Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko.
This tragedy revealed the weaknesses of Ghana’s stadia security and management. It sent shock waves through the nation and the world.
In this article, we will look back at the disaster and its aftermath, and how it has affected Ghana’s football culture. We will also consider the lessons learned and the challenges that still remain.
The Event
On May 9, 2001, a football match between Ghana’s two most successful teams, Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko, took place at the Accra Sports Stadium, also known as the Ohene Djan Stadium. The match was expected to be tense and exciting, as both teams were competing for the league title. Officials had taken extra security measures to prevent crowd disturbances.
The match was goalless until the 80th minute when Hearts scored two goals in quick succession. This angered the Kotoko fans, who felt that the referee was biased and unfair.
They started throwing plastic seats and bottles onto the pitch, protesting the result. The police responded by firing tear gas into the crowd, hoping to disperse them. However, this caused more panic and chaos, as fans tried to escape the gas and the stadium.
The stadium had a compromised design, with fewer exits than originally planned. Some gates were locked, preventing fans from leaving. The Ghana Institute of Architects later called the stadium a “death trap”.
As fans rushed to the exits, they trampled on each other, creating a deadly stampede and crush. Some fans suffocated from the tear gas, while others died from trauma.
The incident lasted for about an hour, leaving behind a horrific scene of bodies piled up on the floors and stairs of the stadium.
Some fans who had passed out from the gas were mistakenly taken to the morgue, where one of them regained consciousness after someone stepped on his foot. Medical staff had already left the stadium, as the incident happened near the end of the match.
The official death toll was 126, making it the worst stadium disaster in Africa and the third-deadliest in the world.
Most of the victims were young men and women who had gone to watch their favourite teams play.
The Aftermath
The Accra Sports Stadium disaster shocked and saddened the nation and the world. Ghana’s president, John Agyekum Kufuor, declared three days of national mourning and ordered an official inquiry into the incident.
The Ghana Premier Football League suspended play for a month. FIFA and CAF expressed their condolences and solidarity with Ghana.
Many people donated blood and money to help the survivors and families of the victims.
The official inquiry blamed the police for overreacting with reckless behaviour and indiscriminate firing of plastic bullets and tear gas.
It also accused some officers of dishonesty and indefensible laxity.
Six police officers were charged with 127 counts of manslaughter, but they were later acquitted by a court that ruled that the prosecution had failed to make a case and that the asphyxia may have been caused by the stampede and not the tear gas.
The inquiry also recommended improvements to stadium security and first aid facilities, and that nationwide rapid response teams should be set up. It also called for better training and supervision of police officers deployed at public events.
It urged football authorities to enforce discipline and fair play among players, officials and fans. It suggested that plastic seats should be replaced with metal ones that could not be easily removed or thrown.
The Accra Sports Stadium was renovated in 2007 according to FIFA standards, with new seats, gates, lights and turf installed.
However, some critics argued that politics may have deferred the attention of the National Sports Council to maintain the stadium properly and that it was again in disrepair 15 years after the disaster.
The Memorial
Since 2001, various corporations and philanthropists have memorialized the tragedy with donations, events and campaigns to raise awareness and prevent future disasters. One of them is Herbert Mensah, who was Asante Kotoko chairman from 1999 to 2003.
He established the Stadium Disaster Fund to support the survivors and families of the victims, and organized annual memorial services in Kumasi.
He also initiated a peace walk between Hearts and Kotoko fans to promote unity and harmony among rival supporters.
A bronze statue was erected outside the stadium depicting a fan carrying another fan to safety with the inscription title, “I Am My Brother’s Keeper” in honour of the victims of the tragedy.
The statue serves as a reminder of the human cost of the disaster and the need for solidarity and compassion among football fans.
The Accra Sports Stadium disaster remains a dark and painful chapter in Ghana’s football history, but also a catalyst for change and improvement in stadium safety and security.
It also shows the resilience and spirit of the Ghanaian people, who have not given up on their love for the beautiful game, despite the tragedy.
Source: The Independent Ghana