Zimbabwe police came under attack Monday for their heavy-handed action to control a rowdy crowd at a weekend World Cup qualifier match in Harare between Zimbabwe and South Africa when 12 people died and several were seriously wounded.
The 12 were trampled to death Sunday afternoon as an estimated 60,000 people rushed to get through narrow exits when police fired teargas into the stadium after fans flung bottles and cans at the players.
The independent Daily News called the tragedy "the worst in the history of sport in Zimbabwe."
The trouble began after South African striker Delron Buckley scored his country's second goal in the 83rd minute of the World Cup qualifying match.
One eyewitness blamed the police for aggravating the situation, the state-owned Herald reported.
"There were individual hooligans who could have been handled by individual policemen.
"But ... the police simply fired the teargas and that worsened the situation as people tried to leave yet the exit points were blocked by other policemen waiting to fire more teargas," the paper quoted Isaac Chimwi as saying.
Local and foreign soccer officials said the heavy-handed police reaction was uncalled for.
"I do not think the teargas was necessary. We have to demonstrate to the world that we can control ourselves. We are going to pay for this heavily," said Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) vice chairman Vincent Pamire.
International sports marketing expert and TV Africa executive Ambrose Mendy, who was at the match, also criticized the police action.
"The crowd did not riot, they did not invade the pitch, but I think the police needlessly overreacted, and I don't think that is in line with doctrines of crowd control," Mendy said.
Police spokesman Superintendent Wayne Bvudzijena however rejected accusations of heavy-handedness.
He said he was still waiting for full details of what had happened.
Mendy called for a police apology.
"We have seen worse things in Europe where there is real hooliganism, but that was just a natural reaction by the fans and those plastic bottles were going to die within two minutes," Mendy said.
Secretary for the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture Stephen Chipfunyise said that although it appeared police were trying to protect the South African visitors by firing teargas, Zimbabwe had dug its own grave.
"When the bottles were thrown, we needed good crowd control, not panic. The police were under no threat, so why did they make such a stupid decision?" the former Wimbledon striker asked.
ZIFA was to hold emergency talks Monday to discuss the tragedy - (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
