Eight people died and 38 injured as fans attempted to enter the Olembe Stadium where hosts Cameroon were playing the Comoros at the Africa Cup of Nations on Monday. Communications Minister Rene Emmanuel Sadi said that of 38 people injured, seven were seriously hurt. The tragedy happened at gates where final ticket checks are supposed to take place. Eight dead, 50 injured after stampede in Cameroon, Comoros clashPatrice Motsepe, Confederation of African Football (CAF) president said the Cup of Nations quarter-final due to be played at the Olembe Stadium on Sunday will be switched to the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium, also in Yaounde. He added that CAF had not considered cancelling the rest of the tournament but had contemplated the idea of postponing the last-16 ties scheduled for Tuesday.”That gate was supposed to be open because if it was open they would have walked through, and for inexplicable reasons it was closed. If that gate was open as it was supposed to, we wouldn’t have had this problem we have now, this loss of life. Who closed that gate? Who is responsible for that gate?” Motsepe said after the tragedy.Many participants of the tournament also commented on the tragedy to AFP. “It is dramatic, I do not understand how this can still happen today. The fervour is there for the tournament, and this spoils the party, it is dreadful, I am lost for words” said Gabon coach Patrice Neveu. Egypt coach Carlos Queiroz is preparing for a knockout stage game with Ivory Coast, but had time to comment on the unfortunate event. “The hearts of Egyptian fans and our team are with them. We put our prayers for those families, and also for all the others; we wish and we hope they have a quick and fast recovery” said Queiroz.(1.80) MALI (3.45) EQUATORIAL GUINEA (5.50)Egypt and Liverpool star Mohamed Salah also commented this tragedy. “We are sorry about what happened yesterday, and hopefully the injured people will come back home safe. I offer my condolences to the families and wish a speedy recovery to all those who were injured” Salah told AFP.Horror at Olembe Stadium moves the quarter-finals match to a different venueEgypt will meet Ivory Coast in an AFCON derby on Wednesday and the Elephants coach vowed for football to continue despite all. “We remain focused on the tournament even if as a human being you can’t be unmoved by it. Long live football. We will carry on despite it all” said Ivory Coast coach Patrice Beaumelle.© Agence France-Presse
