CAN 2022: Motsepe demands an explanation after the deadly stampede at the Olembé stadium
The president of the Confederation of African Football, South African Patrice Motsepe, speaking at the Ahmadou-Ahidjo stadium in Yaoundé, on January 25, 2022, the day after the deadly stampede in front of the Olembé stadium.
AP - Themba Hadebe
Text by: Nicolas Bamba Follow
4 mins
The president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, held an exceptional press conference on Tuesday January 25 at the Ahmado-Ahidjo stadium, the day after the stampede which left at least eight people dead at the Olembé stadium before a CAN 2022 match. The leader announced measures and requested a quick report on the circumstances of the tragedy.
Advertising
Read more
From our special correspondent in Yaoundé,
Patrice Motsepe was to taste football only yesterday, Monday January 24, and this Tuesday. The CAF president finds himself dealing with a serious crisis. Expected at the Olembé stadium in the suburbs of Yaoundé on Monday for the round of 16 of the
CAN 2022
Cameroon-Comoros, he was blocked for two hours on the road. And for good reason: the emergency services multiplied the interventions to treat the victims of a big stampede near the stadium. The toll is heavy:
eight dead and fifty injured
, some of them in serious condition.
After visiting the victims in the morning, Patrice Motsepe spoke to the press early Tuesday afternoon.
He began by observing a minute of silence before sending his condolences to the relatives of those injured or who died the day before.
No match at the Olembé stadium on January 30
The South African leader announced a first important measure: there will be no quarter-final at the Olembé stadium on Sunday, January 30.
This match, which will oppose the winner of Côte d'Ivoire-Egypt to the winner of Morocco-Malawi, is moved to the Ahmadou-Ahidjo stadium in Yaoundé.
A meeting is scheduled with the CAN organizing committee (COCAN) on Wednesday 26 January.
On this occasion, Patrice Motsepe will make another request for reorganization: that the quarter-final scheduled for Douala on January 30 (the winner of Senegal-Cape Verde against the winner of Mali-Equatorial Guinea) be relocated to Limbe.
On the security side, the CAF boss calls for “
urgent measures to make sure this never happens again
”.
“
We must determine the responsibilities
”, he says, but adds that “
this is not the time to point fingers
”, nor to flee from its “
duties
”: “
Legally, the Cameroonian government is responsible for security.
But we are their partners.
(…) CAF is a partner and we are as responsible as the Cameroonian authorities.
»
"
Someone closed that door!"
Which ?
On whose orders?
»
Patrice Motsepe asked for a “
reliable report on what happened, on what should have happened, on the circumstances which led to people being injured or losing their lives
”.
He expects her for Friday, January 28.
“
There were clearly failures, errors, weaknesses,
” he notes.
Speaking clearly and calmly, the CAF president nevertheless showed a little emotion, even anger, when he returned to the moment when the stampede began when a screen door, which had been closed for a long time, opened, causing a massive crowd to enter.
“
This door was supposed to be open.
Open, it would have allowed spectators to enter.
And it was closed!
For inexplicable reasons!
If that door had been opened the way it was supposed to be, we wouldn't have the problems we have now, all those lost lives!
(...) Who closed this door, who is responsible?
»
Later, he came back to this point again, with the same irritated voice.
"
Someone closed that door!"
Who closed it?
On whose orders?
And when they realized it was closed, why didn't they open it immediately?
We will take care of these problems,
” he promised.
And always vehemently, Patrice Motsepe assumed this strong emotion: “
When people lose their lives, you must be angry and impatient!
And you have to ask questions and ask for explanations and guarantees that it never happens again.
»
Before the day's matches between Senegal and Cape Verde in Bafoussam and between Morocco and Malawi in Yaoundé, a minute's silence will be observed in memory of the victims of Monday's stampede.
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_EN
CAN
AFCON 2022
AFCON 2021
Sports
Soccer
Cameroon