Tragedy in Guinea: Football Match Ends in Deadly Stampede, Dozens Dead
N’Zérékoré, Guinea – A celebratory atmosphere turned to chaos and horror at the final game of a president-sponsored football competition in Guinea, leaving at least 56 people dead and many injured.
The tragedy occurred on December 1st at a stadium in N’Zérékoré, during the championship match between Labé and N’Zérékoré teams. Saliou Diallo, coach of the Labé team, recounted the nightmarish scene in a chilling interview with Sursautguinee.
"I thought I was on a football field where the atmosphere reigned as it always did when everything changed to drama in a stampede that has no name," Diallo recalled.
The trouble began after the referee called a controversial penalty in the closing moments of the match. As confusion erupted amongst the tense crowd of thousands, stones began raining down onto the field. Panic set in as fans rushed towards the exits, and a deadly stampede ensued.
Diallo described a horrific scene: “We stayed in the middle of the field; the ministers went to us. Anything could happen to us together. Those who tried to leave the great gate closed, found the small door the only way out. Many wanted to go through this. With the stampede, the stampedes, many lost their lives.”
The coach, visibly shaken, spoke of the unimaginable scenes he witnessed: "This is the first time in my life that I have seen more than 30 bodies lined up in a stadium and others being collected for the morgue. Despite everything, the riot continued.”
The stampede was compounded by a heavy-handed security response involving tear gas, further escalating the chaos and driving the panic. Diallo and his team, trapped in the middle of the unfolding catastrophe, took cover as the night descended. Forced to remain inside the stadium until late into the night, they eventually escaped under the cover of darkness, fearing for their lives.
“We are overwhelmed right now,” Diallo said in a statement. “If we had known that the end was going to be like this, we would have given up and lost the match because there is no reason why someone should die because of football.
At first I saw people as asphyxiated, but then everyone understands that they are dead people. Imagine people who have never seen a dead person and see dozens lined up. That meant that many others got stuck in small corners, especially at the exit door. I am saddened by what happened, boys, girls with many life hopes found themselves in a coffin.”
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through Guinea, raising serious questions about safety measures at sporting events. The government has pledged a full investigation into the incident, while families grieve the loss of loved ones and communities grapple with the emotional aftermath.
