Kaizer Chiefs Chairman, Mr. Kaizer Motaung and hundreds around the world have expressed their condolences to the Ivory Coast and the families of the football fans who died over the weekend as a result of a stampede ahead of the Ivory Coast and Malawi FIFA World Cup qualifier in Ivory Coast on Sunday, 29 March 2009.

The stampede left 19 fans dead while 132 were injured as fans tried to force their way inside the stadium.

“The Kaizer Chiefs Family would like to express its condolences to the families of those who passed away as a result of this unfortunate incident. We would also like to wish those who sustained injuries a speedy recovery,” said Motaung.

“The scenes at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, in Abidjan brought memories of the Ellis Park disaster in 2001 and many other disasters that have impacted football. It is really unfortunate that our beautiful game is still experiencing such tragedies.”

“Reports indicate that the fans who had tickets were trying to force their way to the stadium just before kick off. There really is a need to embark on an aggressive ‘supporters education campaign’ about the importance of buying tickets and getting to the stadium early. Better policing and event management are also key to hosting successful and safe events.