At least 56 people have lost their lives, and dozens more were injured in a crowd crush at a football stadium in southern Guinea, according to authorities in the West African nation.
The tragedy occurred at the Stade du 3 Avril in Nzérékoré, Guinea’s second-largest city, during the final match of a football tournament held in honor of the country’s junta leader, Mamady Doumbouya, on Sunday afternoon. Thousands of spectators reportedly attended the event, including children among the victims, though exact figures remain unclear.
Witnesses described chaos erupting in the 82nd minute after the referee issued a controversial red card against the home team, Nzérékoré, resulting in a penalty. Fans of the visiting Labé team stormed the pitch, hurling stones, while security forces reportedly deployed teargas. The panic caused a stampede, with people trampled as they tried to flee. “In the rush and scramble that followed [the teargas], I saw people fall to the ground, girls and children trampled underfoot. It was horrible,” a witness told Reuters.
Guinea’s Prime Minister Bah Oury condemned the violence, calling for calm in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) and assured that the government would provide further information after a complete investigation. Former president Alpha Condé criticized the event’s organization, stating, “In a context already marked by tension and restrictions, this tragedy underscores the dangers of irresponsible planning.”
Stadium tragedies are not new to Guinea. In 2009, over 150 people were killed, and numerous women were assaulted by soldiers during a protest at a Conakry stadium against then-dictator Dadis Camara’s attempt to run for president.
The National Alliance for Alternation and Democracy, an opposition coalition, has demanded an inquiry into the incident. The group accused the tournament of being a propaganda tool to support Doumbouya’s “illegal and inappropriate” political ambitions.
Doumbouya, who seized power in a 2021 coup overthrowing Alpha Condé, has since dissolved 53 political parties and is rumored to be considering a presidential run in next year’s election. His rise is part of a wave of military takeovers destabilizing West and Central Africa since 2020.
