A stampede that led to the deaths of eight people outside an Africa Cup of Nations stadium was caused by a “reckless” decision to open a gate in the face of a “flood of people”, Cameroon’s sports minister said Friday.

“That entry gate was momentarily closed by security forces in the face of a surge of spectators despite other entry gates being in operation,” said Narcisse Mouelle Kombi at a press conference in Douala.

“Overwhelmed by this surge of people, the security forces took the reckless decision to open the south gate, leading to a crush,” which caused the tragedy on Monday at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde.

The eight dead included a child, while 38 people were also injured.

Witnesses told AFP that a mass of people were crushed up against gates at the southern entrance before police eventually opened them.

Hundreds of supporters then broke through, causing a stampede.

The minister also acknowledged that the number of security staff was “insufficient” at the 60,000-capacity Olembe Stadium in Cameroon’s capital for the last-16 match between the host nation and the Comoros.

However, he blamed the number of people trying to get in with fake or already-used tickets, or even without tickets, for the stampede.

He also said too many supporters arrived late despite gates opening five hours before kick-off and the government closing schools and public services in the afternoon to allow people to watch and attend matches.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Patrice Motsepe, the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), announced that Sunday’s quarter-final due to be played at the Olembe Stadium would be switched to the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, also in Yaounde.

He also announced that CAF would not allow other matches to be played at Olembe Stadium if the Cameroonian authorities did not submit an investigation report by Friday.

“That gate was supposed to be open because if it was open they would have walked through, and for inexplicable reasons it was closed,” Motsepe said on Tuesday.

The sports minister said a report on the investigation, while not yet made public, had been delivered to CAF on Friday and added that the priority for Cameroon’s government was to reopen the Olembe Stadium as soon as possible.

“We are absolutely not playing down what happened but no country is safe from the threat of such accidents or disasters,” he said before announcing several measures intended to make the venue safe.

The measures included moving ticket and Covid-19 test checkpoints further away from the stadium, increasing the number of security personnel and banning children under 11 from matches.

Crowds at all venues had been officially limited to 60 percent of capacity for the tournament because of the pandemic, but the cap is raised to 80 percent when Cameroon play.

For the moment the second Cup of Nations semi-final, to be played on February 3, and the February 6 final are still scheduled at Olembe Stadium.

The first semi-final, originally scheduled for Douala on February 2, has also been moved to the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, but the reason given for that was the state of the playing surface in Cameroon’s economic capital.

That means the final game to be played at Douala’s 50,000-capacity Japoma Stadium will be on Saturday when Cameroon face Gambia in the quarter-finals.

Source: AFP

Hosts Cameroon will go into the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals wary of an ignominious exit as they take on giant killers Gambia in the first of the weekend’s matches.

Cameroon have been far from convincing as they have advanced through the group stages and one round of knockout matches while lowly ranked Gambia have thrilled with their attacking approach and improbable run to the last eight of the tournament.

Burkina Faso and Tunisia meet in Garoua in Saturday’s second quarter-final clash while Egypt play Morocco and Senegal take on another upstart in Equatorial Guinea in Sunday’s two quarter-finals in Yaounde.

Gambia are making their Nations Cup debut and are ranked 150 in world football – the lowest of all 24 teams at the Cup of Nations finals – but have yet proven able to win two out of three group matches, and then upset Guinea in the last-16, conceding only one goal, which was from the penalty spot, in four matches in Cameroon.

Cameroon, in contrast, have turned in largely mediocre performances and, although they had all the odds heavily staked in their favour in their last game against the other tournament debutants, Comoros Islands, they laboured through to the quarter-finals in a controversial 2-1 victory.

“We have seen teams ranked as underdogs stand up to high calibre countries and my players have been warned,” said Cameroon coach Toni Conceiçao.

Elimination of the hosts at this stage would come as a blow to tournament already hard hit by the death of eight spectators in a stampede ahead of Cameroon’s last game on Monday.

As a result, Yaounde’s Olembe Stadium, where the final is scheduled to be played on Feb. 6, is not being used this weekend.

Cameroon take on Gambia in Douala where the condition of the pitch at the Japoma Stadium been declared poor and where there will be no further games, the Confederation of African Football decided this week.

On Sunday, both matches are being played at Yaounde’s older Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium.

Egypt’s clash with Morocco will be keenly anticipated and could reveal the identity of the eventual winner although Senegal remain strong favourites, even if they, too, have not delivered any strong evidence of their potential.

Senegal have scored only three goals in four outings at the tournament but have not conceded a goal and will be heavily fancied to end the run of Equatorial Guinea, although Sadio Mane’s participation is unsure after he suffered concussion in their last game on Tuesday.

The quarter-final winners advance to the semi-finals, both to be played in Yaounde, on Wednesday and Thursday.

Source: Reuters

The President of the Cameroon Football Federation( FECAFOOT) Samuel Eto’o says Cameroon does not control COVID-19 testing at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).

Eto’o is saying this after claims the host nation is manipulating testing in favour of the Indomitable Lions.

Comoros had more than 10 of their players return positive COVID-19 results ahead of their round of 16 game against Cameroon on Monday, leaving them without a recognized goalkeeper with a defender keeping the posts as they lost 2-1.

Burkina Faso also had more than four of their players test positive for the virus prior to the 2021 Afcon opening game against Cameroon.

People have used these to accuse Cameroon of disadvantaging their opponents with COVID-19 testing ahead of meetings but Eto’o is not having any of that.

He said: “I have never accepted cheating, the agency chosen to do COVID-19 tests is 100% under Caf control, the Cameroonian government does not manage COVID tests, I humbly wish my country is respected.”

Source: Footy-Ghana.com

Before Veronique Djilo headed to the Olembe Stadium to watch Cameroon – nicknamed the Indomitable Lions – take on Comoros the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), she updated her WhatsApp status as “Lion 4 life”.

And that was the last time her niece, Leokam, whom she lived with, would hear from her.

Djilo, a 41-year-old woman living with disability, was one of the eight people killed in a stampede that occurred outside the Olembe Stadium, in Cameroon’s capital city Yaounde, in which the hosts beat Comoros 2-1 to reach the quarter-finals of AFCON.

Security officers had reportedly delayed letting fans enter the gate via the southern entrance of the 60,000-seat venue before a crush developed as impatient fans tried to enter the stadium.

Tournament organisers had said only 80 percent of stadium capacities would be made available for fans wanting to see Cameroon’s games and 60 percent for other teams because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But officials said about 50,000 fans had tried entering the stadium during the game.

At least 38 people were also injured during the stampede, according to a statement from Cameroon’s ministry of communication.

Leokam said she had received a call telling her that Dilje was badly hurt and being treated in a hospital in Messassi, a neighbourhood near Olembe

“When I went there, she was already dead. I wondered, how can somebody who left home to enjoy [football] in the stadium did not return home?”

“Her corpse is still with the police who are investigating the incident. She was my mother, my everything, because she took care of my education and wellbeing,” Leokam said.

The incident at the brand-new stadium has shocked the football community.

In a news conference on Tuesday, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe said the institution was devastated by the stampede and has requested an investigation.

“The CAF family is deeply hurt,” he said. “We have a duty to find out exactly what happened and more importantly to put in appropriate measures to ensure that what happened never happens again. When people lose their lives, we all should be angry.”

CAF also said a quarter-final match set to be held at Olembe Stadium would be moved to a different venue. The stadium had been scheduled to host three further matches, including the final.

The deaths have left Cameroonian football fans deeply upset, with some saying they no longer feel safe attending games.

Therese, who survived the crush said, “Next time I see a crowd, I’ll change my direction.”

Samuel, who is a motorcycle rider and a die-hard Indomitable Lions fan, had already stopped attending matches in stadiums due to the behaviour of some fans – including one time when he was urinated on.

“The incident at Olembe has only reminded me not to attend games. The AFCON is good, but I prefer watching at home.”

Meanwhile, others said they would still be prepared to attend matches.

“What happened at Olembe was just unfortunate,” Paul, a shopkeeper, opined.

“If I have the chance to watch a game in the stadium, during this period, I will go. We just need to be careful and I believe COCAN (the local organising committee) and CAF will improve safety and security.”

But while CAF has said the tournament will go on as scheduled and that all games will have a minute of silence for the people who lost their lives, Paul believed the matches should have been put on hold for at least a week.

“These are people who have lost their loved ones. CAF needs to halt these games to honour the grieving families,” he said.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA

Equatorial Guinea continued their giantkilling run as they reached the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations with a 6-5 penalty shootout victory over Mali after a goalless draw in Limbe on Wednesday.

Equatorial Guinea are the final side to advance to the last eight, where they will meet Senegal on Sunday, and had their 20-year-old goalkeeper Jesus Owono to thank for their progress as he made two saves in the shootout which was concluded after 16 kicks.

Mali had been the overwhelming favourites but turned in an underwhelming performance, despite dominating possession and creating most of the chances.

Owono saved the final kick from Mali defender Falaye Sacko although it was checked first by VAR to see whether he had advanced off his line before the kick was taken.

He had indeed moved forward but his back foot was still trailing on the line as Sacko took his penalty and the kick was allowed to stand by the referee, setting off tear-filled celebrations.

Equatorial Guinea had beaten defending champions Algeria and Sierra Leone in the group stage and have now added another major scalp.

They had no real chances in the game but never allowed Mali to get into any rhythm, proving difficult to break down.

Mali were awarded a penalty in the 40th minute when Josete Miranda knocked over Moussa Doumbia.

Yet referee Bakary Gassama was encouraged to look again at his decision and, after consulting the pitchside VAR screen, changed his mind and overturned what had looked a soft penalty award.

Mali striker Ibrahima Kone shot wide on the turn early on and near the end of the first half Amadou Haidara had a good chance to open the scoring but did not connect properly with his effort.

As the game wore on, the clear-cut chances dwindled, with Mali making no progress into the Equatorial Guinea penalty area while the underdogs waited for rare opportunities on the counter attack.

Equatorial Guinea’s shootout win followed similar success for Egypt earlier in the day in Douala after they played out a goalless draw with Ivory Coast.

“It’s historic for us to get this far and it comes after excellent work by my players,” said coach Juan Micha.

His Mali counterpart Mohamed Magassouba, whose country play in World Cup playoffs in March, said: “It’s an incredible disappointment because it should not have even gone to penalties. We deserved more today.”

Source: REUTERS

African football supremo Patrice Motsepe says an “inexplicable” decision to keep an entry gate closed was responsible for the deadly crush which killed eight people before an Africa Cup of Nations match in Cameroonian capital Yaounde on Monday.

“That gate was supposed to be open because if it was open they would have walked through, and for inexplicable reasons it was closed,” the Confederation of African Football (CAF) president said at a press conference on Tuesday.

“If that gate was open as it was supposed to, we wouldn’t have had this problem we have now, this loss of life. Who closed that gate? Who is responsible for that gate?”

A child was among the dead, while 38 were injured as fans attempted to enter the Olembe Stadium where the hosts Cameroon were playing the Comoros, according to figures released by the country’s health ministry.

A baby was reportedly one of those trampled by the crowd and was in a “medically stable” condition, the health ministry added.

Communications Minister Rene Emmanuel Sadi said that of those injured, seven were seriously hurt.

Motsepe called for a probe after Cameroon’s President Paul Biya earlier ordered an investigation “so that all light is shed on this tragic incident,” according to Sadi.

‘Complete chaos’

The tragedy happened at gates where final ticket checks are supposed to take place.

“It was when the police opened the gates that people fell and others trampled on top of them,” said Professor Andre Omgbwa Eballe, director of the Olembe district hospital who attended the match.

“I saw the bravery of the Cameroonian people. People were resuscitating others, doing mouth to mouth, otherwise there would have been more deaths,” he told AFP TV.

One man in his 30s who was caught in the crush told AFP that it was “complete chaos” at the entrance to the stadium as supporters without tickets tried to force their way in.

“I arrived a quarter of an hour before kick-off. I had my ticket, but all of a sudden a group of people without tickets arrived and tried to force their way through and we found ourselves pushed up against the fences,” said the supporter, who gave his name as Stephane.

“I was crushed up against a woman who said she couldn’t breathe. Eventually the gate gave in and I was able to get through, but it was complete chaos.”

In a statement released by the Cameroonian Football Federation, captain Vincent Aboubakar called on fans “to be highly disciplined and responsible” and “for the preservation of security, brotherhood and shared happiness in the stadiums.”

Quarter-final match moved

Motsepe said the Cup of Nations quarter-final due to be played at the Olembe Stadium on Sunday will be switched to the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium, also in Yaounde.

He added that CAF had not considered cancelling the rest of the tournament but had contemplated the idea of postponing Tuesday’s last-16 ties.

Instead Senegal beat Cape Verde in Bafoussam and Morocco defeated Malawi in matches preceded by a moment’s silence.

Players of all teams wore black armbands while advertising boards around the pitch at the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium, where Morocco played Malawi, displayed the message: “Condolences to families of departed spectators”.

Crowds at the 60,000-seat Olembe Stadium — and at all venues — had been limited to 60 percent of capacity for the tournament because of the pandemic, but the cap is raised to 80 percent when Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions play.

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, who is with Egypt preparing for their quarter-final against the Ivory Coast in Douala on Wednesday, said his team’s thoughts were with the victims.

“We are sorry about what happened yesterday, and hopefully the injured people will come back home safe,” Salah said.

Cameroon was initially meant to host the Cup of Nations in 2019, but the event was moved to Egypt over concerns the country’s stadiums were not ready and question marks over security.

Overcrowding at football matches around the world has resulted in scores of deaths.

Thousands of fans in the Egyptian capital Cairo in 2015 attempted to enter a stadium to watch a game, triggering panic as police fired tear gas and birdshot, resulting in 19 dead.

In April 2001, 43 people died in a stampede at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park during a game between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.

In chaotic scenes at last year’s European Championship final between England and Italy in London, some 2 000 ticketless fans gained access to Wembley, with an independent review finding a tragedy was only narrowly averted.

Source:  Agence France-Presse

Mohamed Salah scored the decisive spot-kick as record seven-time champions Egypt beat the Ivory Coast 5-4 on penalties after a 0-0 draw in Douala on Wednesday to reach the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals.

The Liverpool star smashed home his penalty with the Ivory Coast’s Eric Bailly the only player to fail from the spot, and Egypt go on to play Morocco in the last eight in Yaounde on Sunday.

It was a tense last-16 tie which for long spells resembled a battle of attrition on a poor pitch at the Japoma Stadium in Cameroon’s economic capital, and it looked for much of the game as though Egypt would pay for their poor finishing.

However, Carlos Queiroz’s team are now through to the last eight despite having scored just two goals in their four matches in Cameroon so far.

Meanwhile two-time champions the Ivory Coast are out, once again defeated by an Egyptian side who have long held the upper hand in meetings between the continental heavyweights.

This was their 11th AFCON encounter and still Egypt have lost just once to the Elephants.

Among their many successes against the Ivory Coast was their victory on penalties in the 2006 final, and a crushing triumph in the semi-finals in 2008.

This match, like those played on Tuesday, was preceded by a moment’s silence in memory of the victims of Monday’s tragic crush in Yaounde.

In the wake of those terrible events, there was none of the chaos that followed the Ivory Coast’s 3-1 win over Algeria in Douala last week, when fans invaded the pitch at the end.

This time the crowd was well below what might have been expected for such a match, but many of those who were present were clearly there to see Salah, judging by the screams every time the Liverpool star’s face appeared on the big screens.

Salah spoke on the eve of the tie of his desperation to win the Cup of Nations, with the last of Egypt’s record seven titles coming in 2010, a year before he made his international debut.

Poor finishing

He was the one who delivered the final blow, but only after he and his side squandered a hatful of chances.

The young VfB Stuttgart winger, Omar Marmoush, almost put Egypt ahead with a superb 17th-minute strike from 25 metres that crashed off the top of the bar.

Salah and Mostafa Mohamed were both denied by Badra Ali Sangare in the first half, while the Ivory Coast lost influential midfielder Franck Kessie to injury after just half an hour.

Still the Elephants almost went ahead when the unmarked Ibrahim Sangare saw his acrobatic effort pushed away by Mohamed El Shenawy.

Sebastien Haller, the Elephants’ own Europe-based attacking superstar, struggled to get into the game before two attempts, either side of half-time, tested El Shenawy.

The experienced Al Ahly goalkeeper came off injured after a long delay late on as the game petered out, with Mohamed Abogabal replacing him for extra time.

The Zamalek shot-stopper produced a fine save to deny the excellent Sangare before Haller was taken off, and as the game went to penalties Abogabal tipped Bailly’s kick onto the bar and Salah then had the last word.

Source: AFP

Two Africa Cup of Nations matches will be relocated from Japoma Stadium in Douala to Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced Wednesday.

One quarter-final and the February 2 semi-final will be moved to the Cameroonian capital because of concerns over the state of the pitch in Douala, two CAF officials told AFP under the cover of anonymity.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe had said Tuesday the quarter-final due to be played at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde will be switched to the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium after a deadly crush which killed eight people.

The decision to shift that match away from the 60,000-seat Olembe Stadium was confirmed Wednesday after Motsepe hosted a meeting with tournament organisers.

“The next match that was scheduled for the Olembe Stadium will not take place until CAF and the Local Organising Committee have received the full report of the Investigation Committee (into the Olembe incident) indicating the circumstances and events that led to the injury and death of spectators at the Olembe Stadium,” CAF said in a statement.

The second semi-final, to be played February 3, is still scheduled at Olembe Stadium for the time being.

“The CAF AFCON Organising Committee also requires the assurance and guarantee that appropriate and adequate interventions and measures have been implemented to ensure that a similar incident will not occur,” the statement added.

Crowds at all venues had been limited to 60 percent of capacity for the tournament because of the pandemic, but the cap is raised to 80 percent when Cameroon play.

Source: AFP

Achraf Hakimi curled in a long-range free kick as Morocco came from behind to beat Malawi 2-1 in the last-16 of the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday and stay on course for their first African title in over 45 years. This came after a previously lacklustre Senegal pulled off a 2-0 win over Cape Verde to also reach the quarter-finals.

Fullback Hakimi’s precise strike completed the turn around at the Ahmadou Ahidjou Stadium after Youssef En-Nesyri had equalised on the stroke of halftime.

Malawi went ahead early after a world-class goal from Frank Mhango, who hit a speculative left-footed effort from some 40 metres out and watched in delight as the swerving ball caught out Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and crashed into the top of the net.

Morocco will meet either Ivory Coast or Egypt in their quarter-final in Yaoundé.

After a tournament littered with upsets, Malawi threatened to cause another as Mhango produced an astonishing effort in the seventh minute.

He then had another chance from a quick counter attack in the 23rd minute to double the lead as the lowly ranked Malawi, participating in only their third Cup of Nations finals and getting past the first round for the first time, looked to shake up their heavily fancied opponents.

However, they quickly retreated after that and defended tenaciously, with goalkeeper Charles Thom producing several unorthodox saves to keep his side’s lead intact.

Yet Thom let a header from En-Nesyri slip through his hands for Morocco’s equaliser two minutes into first-half stoppage time and there was little he could do about the rocket-like free kick from Hakimi.

In between there were several close shaves as Sofiane Boufal missed an easy chance and substitute Ryan Mmaee struck wide from close range.

Source: France 24