Thursday, February 07, 2008
Another game, another death
Football again makes the news on TV here today but people aren't talking about Kayamba's goal for Sriwijaya or the prospect of an all Sumatran Liga Final.
In the aftermath of yesterday's first game between Persipura and PSMS, won by PSMS, fighting broke out in the stadium environs as departing Persipura fans were mocked by arriving Persija fans. One young lad, 21 years old, died as a result of injuries received while cars were smashed and police fired tear gas to break up mobs.
People in authority will now play pass the fiddle as all and sundry say it weren't their fault.
I have just seen the Sports Minister looking and sounding very agitated on the news. Already he has threatened to close football down following a series of riots and ill discipline. Now he is calling on football to sort its act out.
Bung Karno Stadium is right in the heart of downtown Jakarta, surrounded by high end malls and hotels. Brawling mobs trashing buses and cars, running from charging police in riot gear send a message to the world that football here is out of control.
Something does need to be done but first people need to take their heads from places where the sun don't shine and accept there is a problem. Then it needs leadership from everyone involved, police, government, fans, football, and it needs will. It needs a desire to make sure this nonsense doesn't happen again.
No more pitch invasions, no more assaulting officials, no more trashing cars and no more deaths.
UPDATE - the youth concerned was named Fathul Mulyadin who was 27 and worked at the South Jakarta Town Hall. Our condolences to his family
In the aftermath of yesterday's first game between Persipura and PSMS, won by PSMS, fighting broke out in the stadium environs as departing Persipura fans were mocked by arriving Persija fans. One young lad, 21 years old, died as a result of injuries received while cars were smashed and police fired tear gas to break up mobs.
People in authority will now play pass the fiddle as all and sundry say it weren't their fault.
I have just seen the Sports Minister looking and sounding very agitated on the news. Already he has threatened to close football down following a series of riots and ill discipline. Now he is calling on football to sort its act out.
Bung Karno Stadium is right in the heart of downtown Jakarta, surrounded by high end malls and hotels. Brawling mobs trashing buses and cars, running from charging police in riot gear send a message to the world that football here is out of control.
Something does need to be done but first people need to take their heads from places where the sun don't shine and accept there is a problem. Then it needs leadership from everyone involved, police, government, fans, football, and it needs will. It needs a desire to make sure this nonsense doesn't happen again.
No more pitch invasions, no more assaulting officials, no more trashing cars and no more deaths.
UPDATE - the youth concerned was named Fathul Mulyadin who was 27 and worked at the South Jakarta Town Hall. Our condolences to his family
# posted by Me @ 12:33 PM 
