Monrovia — The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has called for an urgent investigation into the tragic death of a football fan during the National County Sports Meet final between Grand Gedeh and Lofa Counties.
By Christopher C. Walker, [email protected]
The incident has raised alarm over crowd management and safety at the Samuel Kanyon Doe (SKD) Sports Complex in Paynesville, where the fatality occurred.
On Sunday, the SKD Sports Complex was overwhelmed by an exceptionally large crowd, far exceeding the venue’s limits.
The situation was exacerbated by extreme heat, particularly in the “Around the Field” area, where many fans collapsed from the intense conditions. Medical facilities, already limited, became overwhelmed, with patients being forced to lie in hallways due to overcrowding.
Social media footage from the event shows a chaotic scene at the main entrance, with fans clashing with security officers as they attempted to force their way into the stadium, even after the gates had been closed.
Amid the confusion, 25-year-old Saah Tamba, a fan from Lofa County, tragically died after attempting to scale the inner fence to join the players in celebration. Tamba fell from a significant height, sustaining fatal injuries.
The Emergency Medical Services team confirmed his death, stating, “He died as a result of a high fall, and blood was coming from his ears. He died instantly after the fall.”
Following the incident, Liberia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, the chief organizer of the National County Sports Meet, visited the John F. Kennedy Hospital on Monday.
Assistant Minister of Sports Murvee Gray met with the family of the deceased, offering condolences and support. The Ministry reportedly provided compensation to Tamba’s family for burial expenses. Tamba was laid to rest on Wednesday.
Although the National County Sports Meet is not a CAF or FIFA-sanctioned event, the SKD Sports Complex is one of the few stadiums in Africa approved to host international football fixtures under CAF and FIFA regulations.
This has led to heightened scrutiny of the venue’s safety standards.
In response to the tragedy, CAF has sent two official requests to the Liberia Football Association (LFA), demanding a full investigation into the overcrowding and the circumstances surrounding Tamba’s death.
The findings will determine whether the SKD Sports Complex can be used to host Liberia’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Liberia’s national football team, Lone Star, is set to play two key World Cup qualifiers in March 2025: against Tunisia on March 17 and São Tomé and Príncipe on March 24.
Depending on the results of the CAF inquiry, these matches may be moved to another venue or played behind closed doors to ensure the safety of fans and players.