FIFA says Indonesia football tragedy 'dark day for all involved'

MALANG: The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) said that the Indonesia football stadium tragedy, which took the lives of more than 174 fans, was a dark day for all involved.

FIFA, the body in charge of world soccer, described the incident as a "dark day for all involved" and has requested a report on it from the Indonesian football authorities.

Firearms or "crowd control gas," according to its safety requirements, are not permitted to be used at matches.

According to officials, at least 174 people lost their lives in a football stampede in Indonesia over the weekend, including 17 children. As pressure mounts on the Southeast Asian country to explain what happened in one of the worst stadium disasters ever, the country is under pressure to do so.

"My family and I didn't think it would turn out like this," said Endah Wahyuni, the elder sister of two boys, Ahmad Cahyo, 15, and Muhammad Farel, 14, who died after being caught in the melee.

"They loved soccer, but never watched Arema live at Kanjuruhan stadium, this was their first time," she added at her brothers' funeral on Sunday, referring to the home side they backed.

Mahfud MD, Indonesia's chief security minister, announced on Monday that the country would create an independent fact-finding committee, comprised of academics, soccer experts, and government representatives, to look into what transpired.

To determine who caused the catastrophe, the team will continue its investigation over the next weeks, he said.

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