Sport
At least 174 people dead after riot at Indonesian football match
At least 174 people were killed and around 180 injured at a soccer match in Indonesia after panicked fans were trampled and crushed trying to flee during a riot, police said on Sunday, in what appeared to be one of the world’s worst stadium disasters, Reuters reported.
When supporters of the losing home team invaded the pitch in East Java province on Saturday night to express their frustration, officers fired tear gas in an attempt to control the situation, triggering a stampede and cases of suffocation, East Java police chief Nico Afinta told reporters.
“It had gotten anarchic. They started attacking officers, they damaged cars,” Nico said, adding that the crush occurred when fans fled for an exit gate.
Video footage from local news channels showed fans streaming onto the pitch in the stadium in Malang after Arema FC lost to Persebaya Surabaya. Scuffles can be seen, with what appeared to be tear gas in the air, read the report.
Images showed people who appeared to have lost consciousness being carried away by other fans.
According to Reuters the head of one of the hospitals in the area treating patients told Metro TV that some of the victims had sustained brain injuries and that the dead included a five-year-old child.
World soccer’s governing body FIFA specifies in its safety regulations that no firearms or “crowd control gas” should be carried or used by stewards or police.
East Java police did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether they were aware of such regulations.
Indonesia’s human rights commission planned to investigate security at the ground, including the use of tear gas, its commissioner told Reuters.
The country’s chief security minister, Mahfud MD, said in an Instagram post that the stadium had been filled beyond its capacity. He said 42,000 tickets had been issued for a stadium that is only supposed to hold 38,000 people.
Financial aid would be given to the injured and the families of victims, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa told reporters.
There have been outbreaks of trouble at matches in Indonesia before, with strong rivalries between clubs sometimes leading to violence among supporters, Reuters reported.
Zainudin Amali, Indonesia’s sports minister, told KompasTV the ministry would re-evaluate safety at football matches, including considering not allowing spectators in stadiums.
The Indonesian top league BRI Liga 1 has suspended games for a week and an investigation had been launched, the Football Association of Indonesia said.
Among global stadium disasters, 96 Liverpool supporters were crushed to death in Britain in April 1989, when an overcrowded and fenced-in enclosure collapsed at the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield.
According to Reuters Indonesia is scheduled to host the FIFA under-20 World Cup in May and June next year. They are also one of three countries bidding to stage next year’s Asian Cup, the continent’s equivalent of the Euros, after China pulled out as hosts.
Afghanistan’s national cricket team defeated Ireland by three wickets on Monday in the third ODI of the five-match series in Belfast.
Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bowl first.
Ireland were bowled out for 206 runs in 46.3 overs, setting Afghanistan a target of 207 runs.
Rashid Khan and Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar claimed three wickets each for Afghanistan.
Afghanistan’s batters then produced a solid performance in the second innings, chasing down the target for the loss of seven wickets in 44.5 overs.
Afghanistan had also won the second match by 92 runs.
The fourth match between the two teams will be played on Wednesday, August 12, in Belfast, Ireland.
Fans can watch the fourth match live and exclusively in Afghanistan on Ariana Television.
Sorkh Poshan Khawafi are leading the Afghanistan Champions League U17 standings after week six, having collected 15 points from six matches.
According to the latest standings released by the Afghanistan Football Federation, Sorkh Poshan Khawafi have won five of their six matches and suffered one defeat. They have scored 22 goals and conceded just two, giving them a +20 goal difference.
Sarsabz Yashlar sit second with 14 points, following four wins and two draws, while Aino Mina are third, also on 14 points but with an inferior goal difference.
Arman FC are fourth with 12 points, followed by Khurasan Faryab with 10 points and Toofan Herat with eight.
In the lower half of the table, Ettifaq Khanzadah have six points, Abu Muslim FC have five, while Jawanan Perozi and Istiqlal Kabul are yet to earn a point after six matches.
Istiqlal Kabul have conceded 35 goals, the most in the competition so far, while Sorkh Poshan Khawafi have the tournament’s strongest attack with 22 goals.
The Afghanistan Champions League U17 is being contested by 10 teams and is being held at the Afghanistan Football Federation Stadium in Kabul.
Abasin Defenders produced a dominant bowling performance to defeat Kabul Zalmi in the second match of the Kabul Premier League on Saturday, August 8, at the Ayoubi Cricket Ground in Kabul.
Kabul Zalmi won the toss and elected to bat first, but their innings quickly unravelled as Abasin Defenders’ bowlers struck regularly.
Kabul Zalmi were bowled out for 63 in 7.2 overs, leaving Abasin Defenders with a modest target to chase.
Sediqullah Pacha was the standout performer for Abasin Defenders, claiming the Player of the Match award for his match-winning bowling performance.
Abasin Defenders chased down the target comfortably to secure a convincing victory and get their Kabul Premier League campaign off to a winning start.
The result followed the opening match of the tournament earlier on Saturday, when Pamir Stars defeated Shamshad Eagles by 116 runs.
The Kabul Premier League features six teams — Pamir Stars, Shamshad Eagles, Kabul Zalmi, Speenghar Warriors, Abasin Defenders and Band-e-Amir — competing in the 2026 tournament.
All matches are being broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana Television, allowing cricket fans across Afghanistan to follow the competition.
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