More than 50 people feared dead in football stadium stampede in Guinea, official says

More than 50 people are feared dead after clashes between fans and a stampede at a football match in southeast Guinea, according to the government.

Videos shared online, which have not been verified by Sky News, show several children spotted among the people on the ground, while images show fans scrambling over walls.

Guinea‘s government has said around 56 people have been killed and more injured after violence broke out over a contested goal.

Prime Minister Mamadou Oury Bah said the government “deplores the incidents that marred the football match”.

“During the stampede, victims were recorded,” he added, without confirming the number of deaths.

A local official has since told Reuters news agency around 50 people are feared to have been killed.

The match between Labe and Nzerekore on Sunday was the final of a tournament in honour of the country’s military leader Mamady Doumbouya.

According to local media, the stampede happened after a fight broke out between fans over a disputed referee decision.

Videos appearing to be from the scene showed a section of the crowd shouting and protesting the refereeing before clashes broke out as fans ran onto the field.

“This (a disputed penalty) angered supporters who threw stones,” Media Guinea reported. “This is how the security services used tear gas.”

Guinea Panorama reported the violence “quickly escalated, and scenes of panic invaded the stadium, while police used tear gas”.

Communications minister Fana Soumah, who spoke on television, said authorities are investigating to establish those responsible for the stampede.

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Opposition group National Alliance for Change and Democracy said authorities have “significant responsibility for these grave events”.

Guinea, which has been led by the military since 2021, is one of a growing number of West African countries where the army has taken power and delayed a return to civilian rule.