ACCRA, February 10 – Four fans suffocated to death at a first division game in Kumasi at the weekend, the Ghana football federation (GFA) said Tuesday.
The supporters perished at Sunday’s match between Heart of Oak and local club Asante Kotoko.
An estimated crowd of 66,000 had crammed into the 44,000-capacity Baba Yare stadium to watch the high profile fixture.
"The gates opened at 0800GMT and were overcome," a GFA spokesman said.
With the huge numbers inside the ground the stadium directors closed the turnstiles at 1400, one hour before kick-off.
Medical officers were called in to treat numerous cases of heat exhaustion – such was the stifling temperature firemen sprayed sections of the crowd with water.
In 2001 a fixture between the same two teams left 127 dead after a crowd stampede at Heart Of Oak’s stadium in Accra.
