Before the final of the Arabian Gulf Cup between hosts Iraq and Oman, at least one person was killed in a crowd in front of the stadium in the southern Iraqi city of Basra. There are also numerous injuries.
Rush before the Arabian Gulf Cup final: some fans even try to get into the stadium over the wall
War-torn Iraq has long been banned from hosting international football matches. By hosting the Arabian Gulf Cup, the country wanted to polish its image. Two weeks ago, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, among others, attended the opening ceremony of the biennial tournament. According to official information, more than 50,000 fans traveled from the Arabian Gulf States.
The euphoria among the Iraqi fans was correspondingly high after their team had reached the final by beating World Cup hosts Qatar. Thousands of supporters, without tickets, had already gathered in front of the stadium in the southern Iraqi metropolis early Thursday morning in hopes of attending the final against Oman, which Iraq won 3-2 against Oman in the evening .
Run on closed turnstiles
There was a crush in which at least one person is said to have been killed and around 60 injured. The Iraqi news agency INA reported on Thursday, citing medical circles. “There was one dead and dozens of people slightly injured,” said a doctor. An Interior Ministry official gave the same number. “A large number of fans, many of them without tickets, had been gathering since dawn trying to get into the stadium,” the official confirmed.
An AFP photographer at the stadium reported that the turnstiles were still closed when the rush began. Sirens sounded as ambulances arrived to take the injured to hospital. Images released on social media showed a sea of people outside the stadium. A little later, other sources speak of two fatalities and 80 injuries.
asz/sn/dvo (dpa, AFP)