Following a deadly stampede at the stadium over the weekend that left at least 131 people dead, Arema Sport Club’s two officials were permanently barred from football by Indonesia‘s football association on Tuesday.
Abdul Haris, the chairman of the organising committee for Arema FC, and a security guard “shall not engage in any activities in the football environment for life,” Indonesian FA disciplinary committee head Erwin Tobing said at a press conference.
In response to the disaster, the association penalised the club 250 million rupiah ($16,000), he continued.
While the Indonesian FA took action to punish club officials, the majority of the criticism has focused on how the stadium police reacted when they attempted to stop a pitch invasion.
The terraces of the Kanjuruhan stadium were packed Saturday evening with 42,000 “Aremania”, or Arema FC fans, for a match against fierce rivals Persebaya Surabaya.
Fans flocked to the field to challenge players and management following their opponents’ 3-2 victory, their first at home in more than 20 years.
The survivors charged the police with overreacting when they called the affair a riot and claimed two cops were killed.
More spectators entered the pitch as a result of the officers’ forceful response to the pitch invasion, which included kicking and beating spectators with batons, according to witnesses and video footage.
Many people died from being crushed or suffocated as frantic supporters rushed for narrow exit gates, some of which were closed, after police shot tear gas.
