2001 жылғы Гана стадионының трагедиясы

2001 stadium disaster in Ghana

The Accra Sport Stadium disaster occurred at the Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra, Ghana, on 9 May 2001. It killed 126 people, making it the worst stadium disaster to have ever taken place in Africa. It is also the third deadliest disaster in the history of association football behind the Estadio Nacional and Kanjuruhan Stadium disasters.

Ghana's two most successful football teams, Accra Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko, played a match at Hearts of Oak's home turf, the Accra Sports Stadium, on 9 May 2001. Anticipating crowd disturbances, authorities had implemented extra security measures—including stationing riot control police officers at the stadium. Accra scored two late goals, and a referee called 2–1 Accra, resulting in disappointed Kotoko fans throwing plastic seats and bottles onto the pitch. Police present at scene responded by firing tear gas shells into the crowd. A panic and stampede ensued as fans tried to flee the irritant fumes. Many of the arena's gates had been locked and the stadium's compromised design left a bottleneck, with fewer exits than originally planned. The Ghana Institute of Architects called the stadium a "death trap." After the hour long ordeal, it was found that 116 deaths resulted from compressive asphyxia and 10 fans died from trauma. In an interview with BBC News, the deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Joe Aggrey, described the event as a devastating one with piles of bodies on the floors of the stadium.

An official inquiry blamed police for over reacting with reckless behaviour and indiscriminate firing of plastic bullets and tear gas. It also accused some officers of dishonesty and indefensible laxity. Six police officers were charged with 127 counts of manslaughter. The court ruled that the prosecution had failed to make a case and that the asphyxia may have been caused by the stampede and not the tear gas. The commission of inquiry recommended improvements to stadium security and first aid facilities, and that nationwide rapid response teams should be set up. Mensah has appealed to the government to memorialize that May 9, to no agreement. In 2017, the memorial events were themed "Embrace the Day."