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Afcon quarter-final moved from Olembe Stadium after eight people die in horror stampede

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SUNDAY’S Africa Cup of Nations match scheduled for the Olembe Stadium has been moved following the horror stampede that killed eight people.

Tragic chaos broke out at the ground on Monday before hosts Cameroon edged past Comoros in the capital city of Yaounde.

A tragic stampede broke out at the Olembe Stadium on Monday as eight people diedCredit: AP
The devastating situation occurred before the Cameroon vs Comoros last-16 tieCredit: AP

Eight are confirmed to have died, including a six-year-old girl, with at least a further 50 injured.

Witnesses reported that gate attendees were too overwhelmed by the mass of people to check tickets.

Now the Confederation of African Football has confirmed the change in location for Sunday’s quarter-final.

That match, between the winners of Ivory Coast vs Egypt and Malawi vs Morocco, will now be held across town at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe said: “We have a duty to find out exactly what happened and more importantly to put in preventative measures to ensure that what happened never happens again.

“Clearly there were deficiencies, weaknesses, failures, things that should have been foreseen.

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“When people lose their lives you must be angry and demand explanations and guarantees that it will never happen again.”

The Olembe Stadium staged the opening ceremony and is due to host a semi-final and the Afcon final on Sunday, February 6.

Motsepe, who visited injured supporters in hospital, added that the investigation surrounding the fatal crush will look into the closing of the Olembe Stadium gate.

He said: “If it was open they would have walked through and it was closed for inexplicable reasons.

“If that gate was open as it was supposed to we wouldn’t have had this loss of life.”

Cameroonian President Paul Biya also ordered an investigation into the ‘tragic incident’, while CAF is in ‘constant communication’ with the Cameroon government and the local organizing committee.

A minute’s silence will be held before upcoming Afcon matches to remember the victims of the stampede.

Cameroon won the match 2-1, helped by Comoros having to field a left-back in goal and then getting a man sent off after just seven minutes.

Caf president Patrice Motsepe paid tribute to the victimsCredit: AFP
The Olembe Stadium is also scheduled to host a semi-final and the finalCredit: AFP

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk

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