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Indonesians flag ideas for improved safety at soccer matches after stampede tragedy

Baca dalam Bahasa Indonesia

Yanuar Dwi Bramastyo's first time travelling outside his hometown would also be his last.

The 13-year-old, nicknamed Tyo, took a chartered bus from Probolinggo to the Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang city with other Arema Football Club supporters, to watch the soccer match last Saturday night.

Tyo kept his family in the loop by updating them with photos of his trip, but overnight his messages stopped. 

The next morning his aunt Virta Audy got a call from Tyo's father, who told her he couldn't contact his son.

Ms Audy panicked and called her friends who had also attended the match.

"But their phones were inactive," she told ABC.

"Then I saw the news and it was already complete chaos."

A stampede disaster had broken out in the match between host Arema FC of East Java's Malang city and the other team, Persebaya Surabaya.

Ms Audy finally went to the local hospital where she found Tyo's photo among those pronounced dead.

Tyo was not the only underage victim.

Thirty-three of the 131 victims were aged between three and 17 years old, an Indonesian government department said earlier this week. 

While officials said most people died of suffocation and head injuries, Ms Audy said the doctor didn't know the cause of her nephew's death.

One day after the tragedy, Tyo was buried back in his hometown, surrounded by his family, who Ms Audy said were "still in complete shock".

Expert suggests safety improvements  

As Indonesia prepares to host the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2023, the Indonesian government and football industry are looking at what can be done to stop a tragedy like this from happening again.

President Joko Widodo has ordered a full audit of stadiums across the country to ensure compliance with safety and security protocols, and temporarily suspended Indonesian football league matches until improvements to security procedures are carried out.

Indonesia's Football Association (PSSI) has banned two officials from Arema FC for life and fined the club 250 million rupiah ($25,000) over the tragedy.

Meanwhile, experts like Nugroho Setiawan, security officer at the Asian Football Confederation, said President Jokowi's order should be interpreted as an indication from the government it was time to "start repairs".

"Football is a grassroots sport but it must be considered a national asset and its safety should be guaranteed so that it can also be family entertainment," he said.

Mr Setiawan is the only Indonesian who holds a security officer licence from the international sports body FIFA.

Before his resignation in 2020 as security officer at the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI), one of his goals was to "make football a fearless family entertainment".

He said a stampede is something that could "be calculated and predicted, then mitigated". 

He said three things are needed for a safe event: security agreed on by all stakeholders, making sure stadium infrastructure meets security standards, and creating strategies to anticipate supporter behaviour.

"These three aspects must be well-synchronised so we end up having a mutually-agreed security plan after a risk assessment is conducted," he said.

Mr Setiawan said sometimes when risk assessments are carried out ahead of soccer games, recommendations on how to manage risks can be "unpopular".

For example, holding a match in the afternoon or limiting the number of spectators.

Akmal Marhali, the coordinator of private football watchdog organisation Save our Soccer (SOS), had asked the Indonesian Football League to revise the late soccer match schedule, and make the games earlier in the day to improve comfort and safety of spectators.

Mr Setiawan said these ideas must be taken into account to ensure the match is safe and can be enjoyed by everyone, including children and families.

"Maybe the revenue is not what was expected, but security is also achieved, and most importantly there should be no casualties." 

Mr Setiawan said the lack of consensus between police and the soccer industry is a long-standing problem for Indonesian soccer matches.

"The police approach may be criminal justice, while in the football industry it is loss prevention," he said.

"This difference must be discussed [and] an agreement must be made."

In the Kanjuruhan tragedy, the Indonesian public questioned the use of tear gas by the police, because according to FIFA stadium safety and security regulations, firearms or "mass control gas" are not allowed to be carried or used.

Mr Setiawan said mass psychology experts or other relevant agencies should help establish strategies to deal with fan behaviour.

"And most importantly, there should be a program like FIFA'S fans engagement ... regulators and operators must be creative, and always innovate positive and safe activities that can be a penetration of a new culture for supporters," he said. 

Indonesian parents hesitate to take children to matches

As experts and the government look to learn from the tragedy, Indonesian parents are now reluctant to take their children to soccer games.

Mohamad Fuad, a local soccer assistant manager, said soccer matches are supposed to be "affordable entertainment" for everyone.

Mr Fuad, who has a two-year-old son, said the games are a good way for families to spend time together.

"Of course, as a father and a fan [of soccer], I'd like to introduce the soccer world to my son by taking him to watch it," he told ABC.

But he said that if Indonesia does not learn from this tragedy, similar incidents would happen in future.

Mr Fuad said there should be stricter law enforcement on "pitch invaders", but that learning how to behave properly can start at home.

He said people have to be taught to accept whatever the match results are.

Another parent, Maulana, who only goes by one name, echoed Mr Fuad's sentiments.

He said his children, two and six years old, have become loyal spectators of soccer matches in Jakarta.

"They have been enjoying the matches and ... have been waiting for the next one, but [after] seeing the stampede in Kanjuruhan where many children were killed, I became worried," he said.

"It should be safe for everyone. I don't know what to do now."

Maulana is a member of Jakmania, the supporter club for the Jakarta football team Persija.

He said the presence of his children in the stadium actually helped him to behave, as he didn't want to set a bad example.

And when someone threw a bottle into the field, he would tell them that the behaviour was unacceptable.

Maulana also said having his children with him at the match made the crowd around them more calm.

"Maybe people around us were ashamed to swear because there are children nearby," he said.

He agreed the matches should be held earlier in the day.

"I suggest they have games in the afternoon or late afternoon instead, so that it doesn't get too late for the children," he said.

"I think it's also safer because it's still bright, so it's more visible if something goes wrong."

Maulana also said fans must be able to accept when their teams win or lose.

"If you lose today, there's still another match, there's no need to destroy anything or fight," he said.

"I shared this with my kids too; it's okay if you lose this time."

Additional reporting by Erwin Renaldi.

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