Indonesia police chief sacked and football club officials banned for life after deadly stadium stampede

Eighteen other officials, including those who fired teargas inside stadium, being investigated

Indonesia fired a police chief and nine elite officers from their posts on Monday over the lethal stadium stampede that killed at least 125 people two days earlier.

Eighteen other officials are being investigated for their role in the firing of teargas inside the football stadium.

The tragedy, which took place on Saturday at Kanjuruhan stadium in East Java province’s Malang city, is said to be one of deadliest in the history of any sporting event in the world.

National Police spokesperson Dedy Prasetyo said Malang police chief Ferli Hidayat had been removed along with nine members of an elite police mobile brigade and face possible dismissal in a police ethics trial.

He said 18 officers, ranging from middle- to high-ranking, responsible for firing teargas on the crowd were being investigated, according to the Associated Press.

He also said that police are questioning witnesses and analysing video from 32 security cameras inside and outside the stadium.

Indonesia’s soccer federation on Tuesday also banned two officials from the Arema FC football club and fined the club for 250 million rupiah ($16,398), said Erwin Tobing, the head of the association’s discipline committee.

Some 42,000, mostly Arema FC fans, had ran onto the football pitch in anger after their team was defeated. Others threw bottles and other objects at the players. Several police vehicles were also set on fire outside the stadium and visuals showed damaged vehicles inside as well.

The deaths occurred when officials decided to fire teargas at the large crowd, which led to a stampede and killed at least 125. The victims also included two police officers and 17 children.

More than 350 people were injured in the stampede.

Officials had said many had died either from being suffocated or after being crushed.

On Monday, many football fans offered their tributes to the dead outside the stadium.

President Joko Widodo has ordered the suspension of the premier soccer league in the country until safety is reevaluated and security tightened.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International has urged Indonesia to investigate the use of teargas and ensure that those found responsible are tried in open court.

Global football governing body Fifa, which has no control over domestic games, has advised against the use of teargas at football stadiums.

Fifa’s president said the incident was a “dark day” for those who played and followed the sport.