“Mysticals, what happens when your favorite team loses a game of football?” Scorch wanted an answer from her friends. Orak answered, “We feel sad and we return home from the stadium.” “Right! But this is not what happened at the Kanjuruhan Stadium in Indonesia,” said Scorch with a worrisome face.
“What do you mean,” said Verum.
“On October 1, the football team Arema FC was playing against Persebaya Surabaya. Arema FC lost the game. The Arema FC fans poured onto the field and there were fights between the fans. To stop this, police officers fired tear gas.
Tear gas is a type of gas that hurts the eyes and throat. It is used by police officers to control a large group of people who are creating any trouble,” Scorch summed up.
“What? Are people okay?” Orak asked in a concerned voice.
Scorch shook her head, “Many people in the stadium were affected by the tear gas. After this incident, about 127 people lost their lives and more than 320 people have been injured.
“Wait a second. I thought tear gas was not allowed in football stadiums,” Verum said.
Scorch agreed and said, “You’re right, Verum. It is against the safety rules of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the governing body of football. Police officers are not allowed to carry tear gas in the stadium.”
“Then why?” Felix said, perplexed.
Scorch had no answer. She continued telling the news, “Seeing the tear gas, thousands of people panicked and rushed towards the exit at the same time. It’s what caused the stampede (a chaotic situation causing people to fall over each other).”
“One of the world’s worst stadium disasters! I think sports fans should treat the game like a game. Sometimes we lose, and sometimes we win. But we should not harm anyone because of a loss,” Orak declared.