Indonesia to demolish soccer stadium the place stampede killed over 130

JAKARTA: Indonesia will demolish and rebuild a soccer stadium the place a stampede killed more than 130 people this month, President Joko Widodo mentioned on Tuesday (Oct 18) as he vowed to “completely remodel” the game within the football-mad nation.

The president, popularly often called Jokowi, was chatting with reporters on the state palace after assembly Gianni Infantino, head of world soccer governing physique FIFA.

“Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang … we’ll demolish it and rebuild in accordance with FIFA requirements,” he mentioned. 

The lethal stampede after a league match within the metropolis of Malang on Oct 1 has been blamed on police firing tear gasoline within the stadium, a crowd management measure banned by FIFA.

The president mentioned he had agreed with Infantino on vital adjustments to how the game was managed in Indonesia.

“We agreed to completely remodel Indonesian soccer,” he mentioned. “Each facet of preparation … must be based mostly on FIFA requirements.”

The assembly between Jokowi and Infantino comes after Indonesia and FIFA agreed to type a joint task-force in the wake of the stadium tragedy, and because the nation prepares to host the Below-20 World Cup subsequent yr.

Talking alongside Jokowi, Infantino mentioned FIFA’s first precedence was to make sure the protection of each gamers and followers within the Southeast Asian nation.

“It is a soccer nation, a rustic the place soccer is a ardour for over 100 million individuals,” he mentioned. “We owe it to them that once they see a match they’re protected and safe.”

Infantino, who offered the president with a purple FIFA jersey together with his title printed throughout it, mentioned the worldwide soccer physique would work carefully with the federal government to make sure all stadiums met security necessities, and that the Below-20 World Cup ran easily subsequent yr.