TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The Sports and Youth Minister Zainudin Amali on Monday said the preparation for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup continues amidst ongoing investigations and general turmoil following the Kanjuruhan stadium disaster that saw over 130 football fans killed in a mass stampede sparked by panic-induced tear gas crowd control.
The Minister says the government is currently focused on solving cases and treating the victims of the tragedy, Antaranews reported.
“The preparation for the U-20 World Cup is still ongoing, there are no disruptions, God willing. Infrastructures continue. I have said multiple times that we are already prepared since 2021,” said the Minister at his headquarters on October 10.
“But once again our concentration, the government’s concentration, is to immediately resolve the Kanjuruhan Tragedy, handling the victims is the most important thing,” he asserted.
The Kanjuruhan tragedy had become a shared concern for a number of people including sports officials and stakeholders regarding Indonesia’s status as the host of the 2023 U-20 World Cup and the possible sanctions from FIFA that could see the event suspended.
However, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo recently ensured that Indonesia will not be subject to FIFA sanctions even though the Kanjuruhan disaster has killed at least 130 people, making it the second-biggest disaster in the history of world football in terms of victims.
FIFA, in a letter sent to President Jokowi, even stated that it would form a transformation team for Indonesian football. The government has also formed an Independent Joint Fact Finding Team (TGIPF) to thoroughly investigate the Kanjuruhan football disaster.
ANTARA
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