2009 Houphouët-Boigny stampede

For the 2013 stampede, see 2013 Houphouët-Boigny stampede.

2009 Houphouët-Boigny stampede

Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium
location of the stampede

Date| 29 March 2009 (2009-03-29)
Location| Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Cause| Stampede
Deaths| 19
Non-fatal injuries| 135

A Stampede at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium, Abidjan - Ivory Coast

The 2009 Houphouët-Boigny stampede occurred on 29 March 2009 in the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan, Ivory Coast before a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match between Malawi and Ivory Coast.[1] Nineteen people were killed and 135 were injured.[2] In an attempt to control a crowd crush, police fired tear gas into the crowds, who had begun jostling with each other at least 40 minutes before kick off.[3] The match was particularly popular among locals, with world stars such as Didier Drogba, Sol Bamba and Salomon Kalou due to play for Ivory Coast.

## Overview

[edit]

The match was the first match in group 5 of round 3 of the CAF zonal qualifying. It was played despite the deaths occurring before kick off,[1][4] and was won 5–0 by Ivory Coast.[3] Officials have said that ticketless football fans were to blame for the stampede. Ivorian Prime Minister Guillaume Soro held a crisis meeting with ministers and football officials on 30 March to discuss the tragedy. FIFA President Sepp Blatter said: "I wish to express extreme sorrow and extend our condolences to the Ivorian football community and, most importantly, to family, friends and loved ones following the tragic deaths in Abidjan yesterday. FIFA has also launched an inquiry into how the tragedy happened".[5]

On 9 May 2009 FIFA decided to extend its investigation into the event, they interviewed members of the Ivorian Football Federation, police and other local and national organisations. FIFA had not given a deadline for the conclusion of the investigation.[6]

On 22 July 2009, FIFA fined the Ivorian Football Federation $47,000 following the enquiry into the stadium tragedy. Football's world governing body imposed a series of safety measures after concluding the long investigation. FIFA also announced a donation of $96,000 to a fund set up for the families of the victims. [7]

Earlier casualties at incidents at football matches in Africa included 127 people killed in 2001 in the AccraSports Stadium crowd stampede in Ghana, 11 people killed in rioting in September 2008 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and eight crushed to death in June 2008 in Liberia.[3]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Ivorian stadium stampede kills 22". BBC News. 2009-03-29. Retrieved 2009-03-30.
2. ^ Desbordes, Michel; Richelieu, André, eds. (2012). Global sport marketing: contemporary issues and practice. Routledge. p. 176\. ISBN 9780415507202.
3. ^ a b c "World Cup Tragedy: 22 Killed In Stampede". Sky News. 2009-03-30. Retrieved 2009-03-30.
4. ^ "Ivory Coast stadium crush kills 22". ITV News. 2009-01-30. Archived from the original on 2009-04-03. Retrieved 2009-03-30.
5. ^ "FIFA inquiry after Ivory Coast tragedy". CNN News. 2009-03-30. Retrieved 2009-03-30.
6. ^ "Fifa extends Ivory Coast inquiry". BBC Sport. 2009-05-09. Retrieved 2009-05-09.
7. ^ "Fifa slaps Ivory Coast with fine". BBC Sport. 2009-07-22. Retrieved 2009-07-22.

## External links

[edit]

Stadium disaster claims lives at football World Cup qualifier match in Ivory Coast at Wikinews

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Crowd collapses and crushes

List of fatal crowd crushes

19th c.|

* 1807 Newgate Prison
* 1823 Valletta
* 1876 Brooklyn Theatre
* 1883 Victoria Hall
* 1896 Khodynka

20th c.|

* 1902 Shiloh Baptist Church
* 1903 Iroquois Theatre
* 1908 Barnsley Hall
* 1913 Italian Hall
* 1927 Laurier Palace
* 1943 Bethnal Green
* 1946 Burnden Park
* 1954 Kumbh Mela
* 1964 Estadio Nacional
* 1965 El Progreso Bullring
* 1967 Atatürk Stadium
* 1971 Ibrox
* 1974 Zamalek
* 1977 Xinjiang 61st Regiment Farm
* 1979 The Who concert
* 1981 Karaiskakis Stadium
* 1982 Luzhniki
* 1985 Heysel Stadium
* 1987 Shanghai Lujiazui
* 1988 Dasharath Stadium
* 1989 Tbilisi
* 1989 Hillsborough
* 1990 Mecca
* 1991 Oppenheimer Stadium
* 1992 Mahamaham
* 1992 Bastia
* 1993 Lan Kwai Fong
* 1994 Mecca
* 1994 Gowari
* 1996 Haridwar and Ujjain
* 1997 Uphaar Cinema
* 1998 Mecca
* 1999 Sabarimala
* 1999 Nyamiha (Minsk)

2000s|

* 2000 Durban
* 2001 Mecca
* 2001 Ellis Park Stadium
* 2001 Accra Sports Stadium
* 2001 Akashi pedestrian bridge
* 2003 E2 nightclub
* 2003 The Station nightclub
* 2004 Mecca
* 2004 Miyun
* 2005 Mandher Devi temple
* 2005 Al-Aaimmah bridge
* 2005 Chennai (November)
* 2005 Chennai (December)
* 2006 Mecca
* 2006 PhilSports Stadium
* 2008 Bandung
* 2008 Naina Devi temple
* 2008 Jodhpur
* 2009 Houphouët-Boigny
* 2009 Mawazine

2010s|

* 2010 Kor Royal Cup
* 2010 Pratapgarh
* 2010 Love Parade
* 2010 Phnom Penh
* 2011 Sabarimala
* 2012 Port Said Stadium
* 2012 Satsanga Deoghar
* 2013 Houphouët-Boigny
* 2013 Kiss nightclub
* 2013 Kumbh Mela
* 2013 Madhya Pradesh
* 2014 Mumbai
* 2014 Stade Tata Raphaël
* 2014 Patna
* 2014 Multan
* 2014 Kwekwe
* 2014 Shanghai Bund
* 2015 30 June Stadium
* 2015 Haiti
* 2015 Mina
* 2015 Colectiv nightclub
* 2017 Turin
* 2017 Mumbai
* 2018 Caracas
* 2018 Corinaldo
* 2019 Antananarivo
* 2019 Karbala
* 2019 Caracas

2020s|

* 2020 Kerman
* 2020 Maligawatta
* 2020 Los Olivos
* 2021 Meron
* 2021 Astroworld Festival
* 2022 Vaishno Devi Temple
* 2022 Yaoundé
* 2022 Port Harcourt
* 2022 GBLA Stadium
* 2022 Giza
* 2022 Kanjuruhan Stadium
* 2022 Seoul
* 2023 Basra International Stadium
* 2023 Pakistan
* 2023 Sanaa
* 2023 San Salvador
* 2023 Brazzaville
* 2024 Hathras
* 2024 Mumbai

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