As today marks exactly 19 years since the May 9th disaster which claimed several lives at the Accra Stadium, Ghana Premier League giant Asante Kotoko has released a statement in remembering the tragic incident.
On May 9th, 2001, 127 lives were lost at the Accra Sports Stadium after a stampede in a Premier League game between Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko.
Read Full statement below:
Press release
Date: 9th May 2020
Subject: May 9 stadium disaster – Never again
The refrain over the years has been never again. It has been never again because we do not want to experience what we witnessed on 9th May 2001 at the Accra Sports Stadium, when 127 people were forced to join their ancestors after a football match.
We say never again because human lives are so precious that, we should not trade it with anything. Never again because this day brings sadness not just to the families that lost loved ones but also to Asante Kotoko as we were one of the two teams involved in the league match which was characterized by that highly unfortunate incident.
We continue to sympathize with the bereaved families and all who were hurt, one way or the other by what happened 19 years ago today. We continue to pledge and encourage all in Ghana football to help reduce to the barest minimum if not eliminate violence from our game.
We must not be deterred by anything to deal with violence and that which brings the name of the beautiful game into disrepute. We stand to lose if we do not support the effort by the football association and security agencies to contain hooliganism in Ghana football.
Today, we once again commiserate with the families of the victims. We say, never again should our football be taken through the tragedy of 2001. Never again! We may not be playing football in view of the suspension caused by the Coronavirus pandemic but then we entreat football lovers in the country to always put up good behavior at match venues.
Signed
Kennedy Boakye -Ansah,
Public Relations Officer,
Asante Kotoko.