On Sunday afternoon, the Stade du 3 Avril in Nzérékoré, Guinea’s second-largest city, hosted the final of a football tournament held in honor of the country’s junta leader, Mamady Doumbouya, who seized power in a 2021 coup and declared himself president.

Shocking incidents

Witnesses report that the referee issued a controversial red card to the home team, Nzérékoré, in the 82nd minute of the match, resulting in a penalty kick. Fans of the visiting team, Labé, stormed the pitch, throwing stones, while security personnel allegedly responded with tear gas, engulfing the crowd. Many people trampled over each other in a desperate attempt to escape.

The situation quickly spiraled out of control, leading to violent clashes on the streets. A police station was vandalized and set on fire. Disturbing but unverified footage reportedly shows chaos outside the stadium, with multiple bodies lying in the streets.

Disturbing reports of casualties

Guinean authorities have stated that at least 56 people died in the incident, with dozens injured. However, unconfirmed reports from Nzérékoré suggest that the death toll could be closer to 100, with local hospitals overwhelmed by a surge of corpses filling morgues. Former Guinean President Alpha Condé issued a statement condemning the situation: In a country already marked by tensions and constraints, this tragedy underscores the dangers of irresponsible organization.

The opposition coalition, the National Alliance for Change and Democracy, has called for an investigation into Sunday’s incident, accusing the tournament of being a ploy to garner support for Doumbouya’s illegal and inappropriate political ambitions.

The stadium a few days ago during the cup semi-final:

Tweet Scout GN https://x.com/scout_gn/status/1862231856910843934

— Scout GN (@scout_gn) April 24, 2012

One of football's deadliest incidents

This tragedy joins the ranks of the most catastrophic events in football history, such as those at Hillsborough and Ibrox. However, the deadliest consequences occurred during a 1964 match at Estadio Nacional, where Peru faced Argentina. The visitors led by one goal as time was running out. Peru scored an equalizer, but the goal was disallowed. Furious fans stormed the pitch, prompting a harsh response from Peruvian police. Panic erupted, and fans rushed to the exits, only to find them locked, resulting in a deadly crush. Official records state that 328 people lost their lives in that tragedy.