Sports

Several Killed At African Cup Stampede: A Look At Major Football-related Crowd Disasters

Reports claimed that around 50,000 people had tried to enter the stadium when the stadium stewards closed the gates. Children were believed to be among those caught up in the crush.

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People assist victims of a stampede outside a stadium hosting an African Cup of Nations match.
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At least six people died in a crush outside a stadium hosting a game at Africa's top soccer tournament in Cameroon, a local government official said. (More Football News)

Here is a look at some of the worst soccer-related crowd disasters:

April 5, 1902 — Glasgow, Scotland; 25 killed and 517 injured when the West Stand at Ibrox Park collapses during an international between England and Scotland. The game ends in a 1-1 draw but is later stricken from official records.

March 9, 1946 — Bolton, England; 33 people are killed and over 400 injured when a wall collapses at Burden Park before an English FA Cup match between Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City. The collapse crushes fans together and sparks a stampede.

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May 24, 1964 — Lima, Peru; more than 300 people are killed and another 500 injured in riots at National Stadium after Argentina beats Peru in an Olympic qualifying match. The pandemonium breaks out when the referee disallows a Peruvian goal in the final two minutes.

June 23, 1968 — Buenos Aires, Argentina; 74 people are killed and over 150 injured following a first-division game between River Plate and Boca Juniors when fans trying to leave the stadium mistakenly head toward a closed exit and are crushed against the doors by other fans unaware of the closed passageway.

Oct. 20, 1982 — Moscow; 66 people die in a crush of fans leaving a UEFA Cup match between Spartak Moscow and Haarlem, of the Netherlands, at Luzhniki Stadium.

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May 29, 1985 — Brussels; 39 people died in fan violence at the 1985 European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus at Heysel Stadium.

March 12, 1988 — Kathmandu, Nepal; 93 people are killed when thousands of soccer fans surge into locked stadium exits to escape a sudden hailstorm.

April 15, 1989 — Sheffield, England; 97 die and hundreds are injured in a crush of fans at overcrowded Hillsborough Stadium. One victim died last June of aspiration pneumonia, to which he had been left vulnerable because of injuries from the disaster.

Jan. 13, 1991 — Orkney, South Africa; at least 40 people are killed, most of them trampled or crushed along riot-control fences that surround the field, when fans panic and try to escape brawls that break out in the grandstand.

Oct. 16, 1996 — Guatemala City; 84 people die and 147 are injured as panicked fans are crushed and smothered before a World Cup qualifier between Guatemala and Costa Rica.

April 11, 2001 — Johannesburg, South Africa; At least 43 people are crushed to death during a soccer match at Ellis Park.

Feb. 1, 2012 — Port Said, Egypt; 74 people were killed and more than 500 injured after a match between rivals al-Masry and al-Ahly when thousands of al-Masry fans invaded the field and attacked visiting supporters. The Egyptian league was suspended for two years as a result.

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