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This photo-based look at a major news story was produced in 2009. It is a photo version of the fortnightly news think! email which provides succinct news items and challenging discussion ideas. Subscribe free to news think!
Snapshots
Invite students to look at this photo. After a moment or two, ask them to say what they think is happening.
Prompt if necessary with questions. It is taken at a sporting event – but what kind? Whereabouts in the world might it be? What is likely to be the problem with the man on the ground? Are those security guards in the background? What do they seem to be doing? Why?
Students who identify the news story can contribute what they know. Otherwise, invite the group to use their skills of observation and deduction to guess what is happening.
If necessary, explain the setting. There are not too many details available about the man lying in the foreground. He was one of over a hundred people injured at a crush before a football World Cup qualifying match in Abidjan, the main city of Côte d'Ivoire. Official reports say at least 22 people died and 132 were injured before the game between Côte d'Ivoire and Malawi on 29 March 2009.
The stadium has a capacity of around 50,000, and was sold out in advance of the game. Despite official requests to fans without tickets not to come to the ground, many came anyway. It was a rare chance to see internationally famous players, including several who play in the English premier league.
If appropriate, check students' background knowledge of the country. On the coast of West Africa, between Liberia and Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire has a population of around 20 million people. Most work in agriculture. The value of the goods and services it produces in a year is estimated at around $952 per person. For comparison, the figure for the UK is $39,207 per person.
Focus
Draw students' attention to the fact that the injured man is being helped by concerned non-specialists, presumably other fans. Talk about how normal this is in any sudden emergency. Medical staff will help whoever they can. But they cannot reach everyone all at once. First aid from bystanders can be crucial in saving lives. What do students make of the actions in the photograph? Discuss what the helpers might be trying to achieve. What would students be likely to do? How confident would they feel?
Talk about the apparent causes of the deaths and injuries. Some witnesses said that fans were crushed when a wall collapsed. There were reports that tear gas used by the police to control the large crowds caused a stampede. Such hazards are a risk whenever large crowds are not managed carefully. Invite students to say what they might do if they were in a crowd that was getting out of control. What options are there? Discuss how much time and money is spent on planning for sporting events, festivals and other large gatherings in the UK. Contrast it with resources likely to be available in a less wealthy country.
Look again at the photograph, and the police and security officers in the background. What are they doing? What are they carrying? Invite students to describe the role of security staff at such an event. Why are they there? Despite the deaths and injuries, the game was played. Do students think that was the right decision? What factors might have been taken into account? What would have been the security implications if the game was cancelled?
Developments
UK media coverage of the tragedy highlighted the appearance of premier league players such as Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou of Chelsea and Kolo Touré and Emmanuel Eboué of Arsenal. Do students think the deaths would have been newsworthy in the UK if they hadn't been playing? Talk about the wider impact of star African players playing league football in England. What is the effect on local teams in Côte d'Ivoire and other countries? Discuss whether wealthy European clubs have a responsibility to pay for better security when the footballers they turn into stars, and profit from, play in poorer countries.
April this year marks the 20th anniversary of a similar disaster in the UK – when 96 fans died before the Nottingham Forest–Liverpool FA cup semi-final at Sheffield Wednesday's ground, Hillsborough. Have students heard reports from survivors of that day? Some suffered trauma for many years. Since then there have been reports, investigations, support groups for families and survivors, memorials and tributes, and compensation payouts for some of those involved, including police. Will there be the same in Côte d'Ivoire? Talk about the similarities and differences. How significant do students think the inequality in wealth between the UK and Côte d'Ivoire (see above) is?
Talk more widely about sport and safety. The Indian cricket authorities decided that the hugely popular Indian Premier League could not be played in India during the election period in April because of security concerns. It will be played in South Africa instead. Discuss the impact of security worries on major sporting events. How does it affect the experience of playing and watching? Does there come a time when security is so tight that it destroys the whole point?
Other photo think! editions available include Australian bush fires February 2009, UK flooding in 2007 and World Press Photo winning US soldier in Afghanistan.
Credits
This resource was written by PJ White and produced in April 2009. The source for GDP statistics is UN Data.
For more resources, visit redcross.org.uk/education