At least eight people died of suffocation caused by overcrowding at the stadium where Liberia faced the Gambia in a soccer match Sunday, according to published news reports in Monrovia today.
SKD Stadium Tragedy
First, I extend my sympathy to the families of those who lost their lives in the soccer studium tragedy. But, there we go again! When will we learn not to put all blames of mishaps on the President of Liberia? In every society, there are bureacracies. I think the issue of the lost of lives or any incidents at that sporting event should be directed to the agency or agencis that is/are responsible to make sure that everything goes right. Instead, the anonymous person who wrote the comment is placing the fault on the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's Government. This person may not stop there, but sooner or later may incit problem in Liberia that may affect innocent people in Liberia.
Please stop placing all blames on the President. The rightful agency or agencies should investigate and take care of the situation.
J. Horace
Fellow Liberians, the SKD unfortunate situation is a repeating test of our govt's responsibility, public welfare,and justice. This incident first occured during during the late 1990s and no action was taken to retify the threat. It is our Government's duty through the sports ministry to determin the carring capacity of the stidum and the police to ensure that overcrowding is prevented. Dear Liberians in order for us to move forward, we need to hold people accountable for their mistakes to ensure that we do not have a reoccurance. Making execuses and taking appoligies from our government will not make the government understand its responsibilities The families of the victims are entittled to a class action lawsuit against the Liberian Government. This is their legal right and someone ought to inform them. Corrupt officers of the police should be be brought to justice.
what happend yesterday was complete mess! the Liberian police is a criminal hade out, they're responsible for what happen to our brothers. those guys recicle the tickit.
SKD Studium Tragedy
Note to the writer. Please tell your readers why the Liberian Police are considered "criminal hide out" and are responsible for the incident at the stadium? Were they are the ones that sold the fake admission tickets to the game that caused admission to the game to exceed it's allowed capacity? Do they have enough man-power for crowd control?
Next time please think about this before you pass on the blame. Thank you.
To those of us who attended the match, it was very obvious that the LNP played a role. Why have the LNP take tickets? Many of the tickets outside the stadium were being resold by LNP officers who had taken tickets at the gate. Just another example of basic levels of corruption that pervade the LNP. The LNP and Nigerian Peacekeepers were of course overpowered by the crowd, but what a complete embarrassment for the country, especially following the Akon concert.
A lot of things occured yesterday (1/6/08) in Liberia. Two of those things are worth talking about. Item: Soccer fans came out to morally support the Lone Star team of Liberia. The soccer fans of Liberia were energized to come out in droves because the country's national team took a beating previously by playing soccer matches with Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and others just a few months ago. The fans came out in droves to let the Gambians know that the home team would not settle for a defeat! That messsage was sent out loud and clear! Previously, the reason the national team took a beating is that the Lone Star players were disorganized and unhappy because of various reasons. Although they did not win yesterday's match, they did not lose either. Ladies and gentlemen, the Lone Star players must be highly commended for putting up such an incredible feat. Since the Lone Star team did not lose, there's room for optimism.......we will prevail next time. This is just a beginning. Let's be hopeful! The best in our boys is yet to come!
Item: At least eight to ten deaths were reported around the SKD stadium after the conclusion of the game. The official explanation for the deaths centered around suffocation. It was also reported that corrupt individuals sold counterfeited tickets. Because of the sale of these counterfeited tickets, overcrowdiness occurred. Therefore, a stadium that usually handles 33-35,000 spectators, could not be managed by law enforcement officials. This is sad news for our country.
Reflection: May the souls of the dead comrades rest in peace! May their loved ones be hopeful that one day, there'll be a perfect reunion of the souls. May the players of the national team continue to do what is right: Persevere all the time because the proud people of Liberia will support you all the time. May the law enforcement officials of Liberia be more involved in the process of maintaining law and order professionally. May the new German coach find comfort in what he does in terms of doing all he can do. May the next soccer encounters be won by the home team (us) without anymore problems of death, overcrowdiness and the sale of counterfeited tickets.
Liberia is not the only country where deaths have occured during a soccer match. In Europe, untold number of deaths (during soceer matches) have occurred there in the past. Sometimes, things happen. Sometimes, the things that happen cannot be controlled. Such is the situation law enforcement found itself in on 6/01/08.
May deaths not occur anymore at any future matches. May God bless the national team of Liberia and the new coach, A. Hey. May it become a reality that all subsequent international matches will be won by us.
F. Hney
Another more sad day in the history of our nation when everyone is trying to catch up from the just ended Civil war of our country, only to be clouded with another day of grieving and sadness. The sudden death of our fellow patriots and relatives who went all out to support the National soccer team could not see the ending of their desire; seeing the Lone Star winning. Blame game! as usual,is beginning to show its ugly head again, but this is not the issue abyss and what they called the 'Nitty Gritty' part of this whole thing is what needs to be known by all of us. This is not the time for blaming anyone but to find out the Culprits who created this natioanl catastrophe. I mean this is part of Corruption, and this has lead to the deaths of some of the daughter and sons of this land; therefore the national Government should investigate this act and take the necesssary legal punishment against the Doers of this act. The first thing is no matter what the situation may be , one thing remains clear, an Insider or Insiders within the LFA got to be involved in this corrupt act. Government Officials are not the only ones to be investigated and charged for corrupt acts,but also those that are responsible for Public trusts. The LFA or Sports ministry? if any one of them found to be in this diabolical and nefarious act that had caused a national disaster,then let justice take its course. Corruption, comes in many forms and this is one of them. Liberians must be made to understand that it is not only when you are given a top Goverment job then you are likely to one day be charged for corruption, but our attitudes and deeds as public servants should be worth emulating. Liberia needs no retrogressive forces under its new order. Ellen, there you go again! this time sending your Iron hands to a public trust to investigate corruption and I know you are beginning to strategize a way forward towards this weird situation. Awesome! Madame President.
John Mannah
Chicago, Illinois
This was a sad day in Liberia and to the entire soccer world.I whould have been one of those person but i survived by the grace of God.
Beside this being a sad event this should be a message accross Africa that we need security protect our people from those unexpected disasters.
Emmanuel Togba Monrovia,Liberia
At this momemt we offer silent to our dear loving comrades, citizens and lovers of football (soccer) who die in support of african teams as a whole. What a sad momemt for Liberia and even our dear visiting team from the Gambia. I say, may those who die souls rest in perpetual peace and pray that the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's government will and should provide funeral expenses to their families as they died in support of the Lone Star team.