Arema football coach Javier Roca said on Sunday (October 2) that during the Indonesian football tragedy, which claimed at least 125 lives, “fans died in the arms of players”. Roca coach also claimed that tear gas-firing police fatally “over-stepped” the mark.
The tragic incident happened at Kanjuruhan stadium in East Java province when angry fans of Arema FC stormed the pitch after their team lost 3-2 to Persebaya Surabaya.
Roca said that some of the team stayed on the pitch when the game ended and some of the fans had even “died in the arms of players.”
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He said, “Returning from the press conference, I saw the tragedy. The boys passed by with victims in their arms. I think the police overstepped their mark, even though I wasn’t out there and didn’t experience the outcome,” the Chilean coach told Spanish broadcaster Cadena Ser.
The accident emerged as one of the deadliest sporting stadium disasters in history, the police said and also added that over 323 people were injured. The victims were trampled or choked to death, according to police.
Roca also said how the full extent of the tragedy unfolded in the immediate aftermath. The 45-year-old has spent a large part of his career in Indonesia.
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“After the match, I went to the dressing room, and some players stayed on the pitch. Returning from the press conference, I saw the tragedy,” he added.
“The boys passed by with victims in their arms. Results dictate us and determine what happens in the end. If we were drawing, it wouldn’t have happened.”
While blaming the police of overreacting, Roca noted that the stadium was woefully under-prepared. “It was proved that the stadium was not ready, they didn’t expect such chaos. Nothing like this had ever happened at the stadium, and it fell apart because of the number of people who wanted to escape,” added Roca.
“I think the police overstepped their mark, even though I wasn’t out there and didn’t experience the outcome. But looking at the images, they could have used other techniques. There is no result in a match, no matter how important, that is worth losing a life,” he said.
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