Part of a grandstand at a football stadium collapsed on Sunday in the Netherlands after the Eredivisie meeting between NEC Nijmegen and Vitesse Arnhem (0-1), without causing injury, reported local media. The lower part of the tribune of the Nijmegen stadium collapsed when a dozen supporters celebrated by jumping the victory of the Arnhem players, who came to greet their fans after winning the derby. “As far as I know, there are no injuries,” said Dutch public television NOS Wilco van Schaik, president of NEC Nijmegen. " I am speechless. There are all kinds of things going through your mind, ”he continued. According to the images, a container placed under the grandstand prevented it from collapsing completely.
This incident occurs a few days after the decision of the French Parliament not to organize any more professional football match on May 5 in memory of the drama of Furiani on May 5, 1992. Before the kick-off of the semi-final of the Coupe de France between Bastia and the Olympique de Marseille, the upper part of a temporary stand at this stadium had collapsed, killing 19 and more than 2,300 injured.
😳 Tribune stort ff in #NECVIT #v Vitesse pic.twitter.com/90WCUICont
- Speed Video's (@VideosV Speed) October 17, 2021
Shocked players
"I am very shocked by what happened," said the mayor of Nijmegen, Hubert Bruls, who attended the match with his counterpart from Arnhem, Ahmed Marcouch.
“Fortunately, as far as we know, no one was injured.
I want an investigation to be carried out as quickly as possible, ”he added.
The current Goffert stadium (Goffertstadion), which has 12,500 seats, was inaugurated in 1999 and belongs to the municipality of Nijmegen.
“It was shocking,” said Arnhem defender Riechedly Bazoer.
“Fortunately, everyone survived,” he told NOS.
“A stadium that should be safe is collapsing.
This should be investigated, ”reacted the KNVB football federation.
A spokesperson for the government agency responsible for investigating such incidents said it had not yet been decided whether an investigation would be opened.
"It is too early to say anything about this now," he said, quoted by NOS.