/*! elementor – v3.8.0 – 30-10-2022 */
.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#818a91;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#818a91;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}

SURABAYA | PUBLIC RELATION – The first of October 2022 is a dark day for the Indonesian football world. Hundred people sadly passed away in a mass stampede inside  Kanjuruhan Stadium, Malang. The saddening event known as The Kanjuruhan Disaster happened right after Arema FC’s defeat to Persebaya in the BRI Liga 1. Security Personnel shot tear gasses toward the fans-filled stadium section after a few of them entered the pitch. The tear gasses triggered a mass panic and a stampede as the fans forced their way toward the stadium exit. According to priceonomics.com, The Kanjuruhan Tragedy is the second deadliest football match in history. 

Delta Bayu Murti, S.Sos., M.A., a lecturer in Universitas Airlangga specializing in Sport Anthropology gave his opinion on this event. According to him, sport and violence goes hand-in-hand. These cases of violences according to him could be explained using the theory of frustration-aggression, where violence was a representation of their frustration. “Entering the pitch is a form of aggression. Police could be frustrated by the aggression, even though they had done things accordingly, this kind of aggression would push the police into aggression. No one should be blamed during the event.” Bayu explained.  

A few factors could trigger violence within a person. One of them is survival, where violence is a common act of self-defense. “Social learning is how children learn about violence, directly or indirectly,” Bayu added. Children watching football matches could normalize violence happening if the parent didn’t warn them about it, or even worse, involved in the violence.   

“Within the study of Sport Anthropology, massive crowd increase the chance of violence happening” Bayu stated. Security Personnel and the fans neglected plenty of things, “it became dark for the security personnel, they fired tear gasses at the fans section,” Bayu added. Bayu was especially disappointed with the lack of preventive measures, and the high risk situation was incredibly miscalculated.  

Bayu also stated, “aggression was high because of the lack of self-control.” Plenty of the supporters consumed alcohol before watching the match. This is a contributing factor in the tragic event of Kanjuruhan Disaster.  

The general view of the events leading to the disaster painted a grim picture of the Indonesian world of football. Bayu also stated that the poor seating management inside the stadium doesn’t meet FIFA standards. The non-VIP section wasn’t properly counted for each individual, which tends to push toward overcapacity. “This was a very crucial preventive measure, the fans weren’t properly counted,” the Universitas Gadjah Mada graduate added. 

FIFA’s sanction toward the Indonesian national team is the most unwanted aftermath of this disaster. Indonesia became wary of the cancellation of the next U-20 World Cup, which was supposed to be held in Indonesia. Though this seems unlikely, sanctions toward Indonesian football clubs seem much more feasible.  

“FIFA’s sanctions toward the national team should be very pitied. Even so, if such a thing happened, we shouldn’t protest. There shouldn’t be a demonstration that could lead to a second Kanjuruhan Disaster,”  Bayu stated. He also added that the aftermath of this tragedy could be turning the Indonesian footballing world towards the better (RA/WWW).