Human failings script a tragic tale

Fans on the rampage  mar beautiful game.

In terms of global visibility there could hardly be a greater contrast between Wednesday's soccer disaster in Egypt which claimed the lives of at least 74 people and the world's worst recorded stadium disaster in which 340 people died in Moscow in 1982.

Video footage of the riot in Port Said between fans of the home side Al Masry and Egypt's most successful team Al Ahli was seen by millions around the world on the internet within minutes of it unfolding.

But the disaster in Moscow was covered up for seven years by the Soviet authorities who originally said 66 people died but later admitted — in July 1989 — that 340 people had lost their lives on October 20 1982 when Spartak Moscow played Harlem of the Netherlands in a UEFA Cup match at the Luzhniki Stadium.

Those fans died after Spartak scored a late goal and fans leaving the stadium were crushed on an open stairway and in a corridor when departing spectators surged back into the stadium only to be met by fans leaving the ground.

That was also found to be the main cause of the Ibrox Stadium disaster in Glasgow on Jan 2 1971 when 66 people were trampled to death at the end of a match between fierce Scottish rivals Rangers and Celtic.  Departing fans turned back to the stadium after hearing the roar of a late goal, causing dozens of people to tumble over those climbing up the stairs and sending them all to their deaths.

Until the Moscow disaster of 1982 was revealed, the world's worst stadium disaster was recorded as taking place in Lima, Peru in 1964 when 318 fans died and hundreds more were injured after a goal was disallowed in an Olympic qualifier between Peru and Argentina. Fans rioted, soldiers fired tear-gas, chaos reigned and hundreds died.
There have been other significant death tallies after riots in Nepal's national stadium in 1988 when over 100 died, in South Africa in 1991 when 43 people were killed at a Kaizer Chiefs-Orlando Pirates match and in February 1974 in Egypt when 49 fans were killed trying to gain access to see Zamalek play Dulkla Prague of the former Czechoslovakia.

Africa's worst tragedy before Wednesday's occurred in May 2001 when around 126 people were killed in a stampede in the Ghanaian capital of Accra. 

Three serious tragedies had a massive impact on safety at European stadiums in the 1980s.  Saftey and security were generally tightened everywhere following the Bradford City fire in England in 1985 which claimed 56 lives, the Heysel Stadium disaster two weeks later in which 39 died and the Hillsborough disaster in England in 1989 when 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death at an FA Cup semifinal in Sheffield when Liverpool played Nottingham Forest.

Ironically, Wednesday's incident in Egypt comes two days after the French FA said that no matches would be played on May 5 this year to mark the 20th anniversary of the disaster in Corsica in 1992 when 18 fans were killed at a French Cup semifinal.
The stadium in Port Said, a multi-use 18,000 all-seater venue, was built in 1955 and more than met FIFA's standards after modern improvements and hosted matches in the 2006 African Cup of Nations and the World Under-20 Cup in 2009. Unlike other disasters the stadium could not be faulted for the resulting loss of life which appears to be due entirely to human failings.

Blatter saddened

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he was left “shocked and saddened” by the incident. Blatter in a writtten statement expressed his sympathy for the families of the victims.

“I am very shocked and saddened to learn this evening that a large number of football supporters have died or been injured following a match in Port Said, Egypt,” the statement said.

“My thoughts are with the families of those who have lost their lives this evening. This is a black day for football. Such a catastrophic situation is unimaginable and should not happen,” said Blatter.

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Major disasters in football stadiums in the past 30 years

Oct 1982, Russia: Fans were crushed as they left a UEFA Cup tie between Moscow Spartak and Dutch side HFC Haarlem at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow. Officials from the former Soviet Union did not disclose the tragedy for years. When they did, the authorities gave an official death toll of 66 although the number who died in a crush at one exit could have been as high as 340.

May 1985, Britain: At least 56 people were killed and more than 200 injured when fire broke out in the stands at Bradford.

May 1985, Belgium: Thirty-nine fans, mostly Italians, died in rioting before the European Cup Final between Italy's Juventus and English club Liverpool at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels.

March 1988, Nepal: A stampede towards locked exits in a hailstorm at Nepal's national soccer stadium in Kathmandu killed more than 90 fans.

April 1989, Britain: Ninety-six people were killed and at least 200 injured in Britain's worst sports disaster after a crowd surge crushed packed fans against barriers at the English FA Cup semifinal match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield.

Jan 1991, South Africa: Forty-two people died in a stampede during a pre-season game in the mining town of Orkney between the Kaizer Chiefs and the Orlando Pirates. A Pirates fan had attacked Chiefs supporters in the crowd with a knife.
n May 1992, France: Before the kickoff of a French Cup game between Bastia and Marseille in Corsica, a stand of the Furiani stadium collapsed, killing 18 people and injuring about 2,400.

Oct 1996, Guatemala: Up to 82 people died and at least 147 were injured when an avalanche of fans tumbled down seats and a flight of stairs at a World Cup qualifying match between Guatemala and Costa Rica in Guatemala City.

April 2001, South Africa: At least 43 people were crushed to death when soccer fans tried to force their way into Johannesburg's huge Ellis Park stadium midway through a top South African league match.

May 2001, Ghana: Around 126 people were killed in a stampede at Accra's main soccer stadium when police fired teargas at rioting fans in one of Africa's worst soccer disasters.

March 2009, Ivory Coast: At least 19 people were killed during a stampede at Abidjan's Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium before a World Cup soccer qualifying match against Malawi.

Feb 2012, Egypt: Fans rioted at the end of a match in the city of Port Said when the local team al-Masry beat Al Ahli, one of Egypt's most successful clubs, 3-1. At least 73 people were killed and more than 1,000 people injured