Still, whatever the decision is, it is up to FIFA.Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) discussed the Kanjuruhan Stadium stampede with the president of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), Giovanni Vincenzo Infantino, in a telephonic conversation early this week.
"On Monday (October 3, 2022) evening, I made a call to speak directly with FIFA president Gianni Infantino—(we) discuss a lot about the tragedy at the Kanjuruhan Stadium," the head of the state informed after attending a ceremony held to mark the 77th anniversary of the Indonesian Defence Forces (TNI) at Merdeka Palace here on Wednesday morning.
Indonesia's hosting rights for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup were among the many things that were discussed during the call, he said. The international tournament is scheduled to take place from May 20 to June 11, 2023, in six stadiums in Sumatra, Java, and Bali islands.
"(We) spoke a lot. Still, whatever the decision is, it is up to FIFA," the Indonesian President added.
On Wednesday afternoon (October 5), Jokowi met with people who were injured in the stadium stampede at the Dr. Saiful Anwar Regional Hospital, Malang city, East Java province.
Earlier, he had asked the Chief of the National Police, General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, to thoroughly investigate the incident, which occurred after a soccer match between Arema FC and Persebaya on October 1.
The incident was triggered by Arema FC’s 2-3 loss to the guest team, which disappointed Aremania (supporters of Arema FC).
About 3 thousand fans tried to enter the pitch to confront Arema FC players and officials over the defeat, which marked the first win for Persebaya at Kanjuruhan Stadium, the home of Arema FC, after 23 years.
Some supporters reportedly threw flares and vandalized several facilities. As the rioting reportedly grew, the police decided to fire tear gas to dismiss the supporters although its use has been prohibited by FIFA.
In the ensuing rush to leave the stadium, some fans were injured and some fainted due to lack of oxygen.
As of Wednesday, the death toll from the stampede was reported to have reached 131, police said. The victims included 33 children, it added.
Currently, an independent joint fact-finding team (TGIPF) has been established to investigate the incident, while the implementation of Liga 1 has been suspended until the investigation is complete and security procedures are improved.
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Translator: Indra Pribadi, Uyu Liman
Editor: Sri Haryati
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