Jakarta: The International Football Federation (FIFA) President Gianni Infantino met with Indonesia President Joko Widodo and promised the country’s authorities that FIFA will support them throughout a comprehensive nationwide overhaul of stadium safety measures.
The Government of Indonesia and the FIFA have agreed to carry out a complete transformation of Indonesian football and ensure that all aspects of the match run according to the safety standards set by FIFA in Tuesday’s meeting.
Infantino also met with two other ministers and the president of the Fotball Federation of Indonesia (PSSI), Mochamad Iriawan.
The meetings were organised to talk about the events at the Kanjuruhan Stadium on 1 October 2022.
According to an official government report, the tragedy resulted in at least 132 fatalities, 96 seriously injured, and 484 others with moderate and minor injuries.
Speaking after the meeting with President Widodo, who revealed Kanjuruhan Stadium will be demolished and rebuilt to FIFA standards, President Infantino said: “This is a football country, a country where football is a passion for over 150 million people. We owe it to them that when they see a match they are safe and secure.”
He added: “FIFA is here for the Indonesian people – FIFA will stay and work here to transform Indonesian football.”
Following the events of 1 October, plans for a collaborative re-evaluation programme and the formation of taskforce focused on developing safety policies and procedures at football stadiums across the country, formed the key part of all agendas at President Infantino’s meetings in Jakarta.
Speaking in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, President Infantino described the events of 1 October as a “dark day for all involved in football”.
In the days following, Infantino also wrote a letter of condolence to President Widodo, stating FIFA’s readiness to work alongside authorities in Indonesia, the Asian Football Confederation and the PSSI to work collaboratively in developing measures to ensure no such tragedies can occur again in the future.
The meetings in Jakarta on Tuesday provided the opportunities for all parties to discuss next steps in implementing comprehensive measures around safety and security practices, police protocols, fan engagement, match scheduling, mentorship and global best practices for training of match-day security staff.
