Football
Andrew Oryada, Special to ESPN 6y

CAF ban Madagascar stadium for three games after stampede

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has sanctioned the Madagascar FA following a stampede that occurred ahead of a 2019 AFCON qualifier on September 9.

The stampede took place ahead of a Group A game between Madagascar and Senegal and saw one person die, while over 40 were injured.

Hosts Madagascar went on to hold Senegal to a 2-2 draw in that game at the Mahamasina Municipal Stadium in Antananarivo.

Ahmad Ahmad, the CAF President, said after the CAF Executive Meeting in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, that the Stadium in Madagascar will not host three games, while the Madagascar FA has been fined US$20,000.

"After three international games when the Stadium is not used, Madagascar will be allowed to use the Stadium," Ahmad told the media.

The incident happened when fans had been queuing outside the venue for several hours before kickoff and once the 22,000-capacity venue was full, officials closed the gates with hundreds still wanting to get in.

African football is no stranger to stadium deaths, with poor crowd control, overzealous policing, inadequate facilities and fan misbehaviour all leading to a series of incidents at stadiums across the continent over the last few decades.

The worst loss of life was at the Accra Sports Stadium in Ghana when 127 fans died in 2001 after police fired teargas into the stands following a league match between Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko.

In 2012, 74 people were killed when fans of Egyptian side Al Masry turned violent against visiting supporters of Al Ahly at the Port Said Stadium.

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