Witnesses say people scrambled to escape after teargas used during pitch invasion at match in Nzérékoré
At least 56 people have died and dozens of others were injured in a crowd crush at a football stadium in southern Guinea, authorities in the west African state said.
The Stade du 3 Avril in Nzérékoré, the country’s second largest city, was hosting the final of a football tournament in honour of the leader of the country’s junta, Mamady Doumbouya, on Sunday afternoon. Local reports said thousands of spectators were present at the stadium and children were among the victims but did not give a definitive figure in either case.
Witnesses said a disputed red card was awarded by the referee to the home team of Nzérékoré in the 82nd minute of the match, leading to a penalty. Fans of the visiting Labé team invaded the pitch and threw stones, while security personnel reportedly responded by releasing teargas that enveloped the crowd, with many people running over each other in an attempt to escape.
