At least two dead and a dozen injured in a stampede at a soccer match between Benin and Senegal

June 19 (EUROPA PRESS) –

At least two people have died and a dozen have been injured in a stampede in a soccer match between the teams of Benin and Senegal, who were competing in the qualifiers for the African Cup of Nations.

According to a preliminary report, several people fell on Saturday due to the narrowness of one of the stadium’s access entrances to the stands. One of the victims died at the scene, while the second died at the hospital. In addition, several injured have been transferred to health centers, without the authorities having reported an exact figure.

The media 24 Heures au Benin points out that the cause of the incident is linked to the fraudulent issuance of tickets to the stadium, since for this match the entrance was free. Security forces were overwhelmed to contain an out-of-control crowd, says

The general secretary of the Beninese Football Federation, Claude Paqui, has conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and has wished a speedy recovery to the rest of the injured fans who are hospitalized.

Likewise, he has indicated that he expects the authorities to investigate and determine the responsibilities of the incident, as can be read in a statement.

The Minister of Sports met this Sunday with the entire chain involved in organizing the event at the stadium, such as the police, emergency teams or members of the federation to understand what happened, however, they have not made public any information about this meeting, reports the radio station RFI.