The decision was taken in concert between the Indonesian government and Fifa. The Malang city football stadium where 133 people died in a stampede on October 1 will be demolished and rebuilt.
“For the Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang, we will demolish it and rebuild it according to Fifa standards, with appropriate facilities that can ensure the safety of players and fans,” President of the Republic Joko Widodo told reporters. after meeting Fifa boss Gianni Infantino visiting Jakarta.
The Fifa official pledged to help transform Indonesian football to improve security on Tuesday after talks at the presidential palace. “We are going to reform and transform football in the country,” also promised Gianni Infantino as Indonesia is to host the Under-20 World Cup next year.
An investigation and already indictments
On Tuesday, the death toll from the disaster rose to 133, after the death of a 33-year-old man who succumbed to his injuries received in the Kanjuruhan stadium. More than forty children also died in the tragedy that occurred in the city of Malang (East Java) during the drama described by Gianni Infonatino as “one of the darkest days for football”. The deadly stampede caused by tear gas being fired at bleachers happened on October 1 after a match between local team Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya. Many victims were crushed or suffocated while trying to use closed or too narrow exit doors.
Six people, including three police officers, were indicted, and the regional police chief transferred. Investigators have called on the head of the national football federation and the management committee to resign, following a preliminary report on the disaster. Representatives of Fifa and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have been in Jakarta since last week to help the national federation (PSSI) and the government investigate the event.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo had suspended matches in the country pending the findings of the investigation and called for a verification of security conditions at all stadiums.