In a tragic incident, dozens of people lost their lives during a stampede at a football match in Guinea’s second-largest city, N’zérékoré. The stampede occurred on Sunday following clashes triggered by a contentious referee decision, according to local media reports.
Guinea’s Prime Minister, Mamadou Oury Bah, confirmed the incident, stating that a stampede at the stadium had resulted in multiple casualties. He urged for calm as authorities worked to address the situation. “Regional authorities are working to restore calm,” Bah said in a statement, adding that local hospitals are providing aid to the injured.
A doctor at the local hospital, speaking anonymously to AFP news agency, described a grim scene with several bodies “lined up” and the morgue at full capacity. Official casualty figures have yet to be announced.
Eyewitnesses reported that chaos erupted after supporters of the visiting team, Labé, grew angry over a contested referee decision. Stones were thrown toward the pitch, prompting police to respond with tear gas. Fans then invaded the pitch, escalating the situation further. “It all started with a contested decision by the referee. Then fans invaded the pitch,” one witness told AFP.
Videos and images shared on social media show scenes of panic, with large crowds climbing over walls and numerous bodies lying on the ground. However, the BBC has not independently verified these visuals.
The match, part of a tournament in honor of Guinea’s President Mamadi Doumbouya, was between local teams N’zérékoré and Labé. President Doumbouya has been in power since a coup in September 2021.
Thousands of spectators were present when the tragic events unfolded, according to MediaGuinee, a local news outlet.
The incident has drawn comparisons to one of Guinea’s darkest episodes: the 2009 Conakry stadium massacre. During that event, 156 people were killed and many others injured when security forces opened fire on an opposition rally. Victims were shot, stabbed, beaten, or crushed, while scores of women were raped.
Former military ruler Moussa Dadis Camara was recently sentenced to 20 years in prison for crimes against humanity linked to the massacre.
Authorities in N’zérékoré are working to stabilize the situation and prevent further unrest. Meanwhile, investigations into Sunday’s tragedy are underway as Guinea grapples with another stadium-related catastrophe.