Kenya to return to scene of deadly football stampede

AFP - 22 March 2007 20:23

Moroccan and Kenyan teams playing in a 2005 World Cup Africa qualifier at Nyayo National stadium in Nairobi. Sunday´s Group Six African Nations Cup qualifier between hosts Kenya and Swaziland will be played at the Nyayo, scene of a deadly fan stampede two years ago.

NAIROBI (AFP) - Sunday's Group Six African Nations Cup qualifier between hosts Kenya and Swaziland will be played at the Nyayo National Stadium, scene of a deadly fan stampede two years ago, officials said on Thursday.

The stadium was banned for six months in 2005 following the death of a schoolboy and injuries to 15 other fans in the stampede by overzealous fans waiting to purchase tickets for the June 18 World Cup qualifier against Morocco.

As a result, Kenya were heavily penalised by the sport's world governing body FIFA with the next match against the-then African champions Tunisia being played behind-closed-doors at the Kasarani stadium.

The possibility of a repeat of those ugly scenes looked likely after the Kenya Football Federation announced that tickets would go on sale on Sunday morning only hours before the match kicked off.

However KFF officials said security for the match had been beefed up and the manning of the stadium gates would be controlled by a local security firm to avoid manipulation by interested parties.

Kenya need to beat fellow strugglers Swaziland to have any realistic chances of reaching the 2008 finals in Ghana. Only the winner in each group along with hosts Ghana will qualify.