Beckham visit ends in chaos after 7 injured in rush to see superstar
By Ni Yinbin |
June 21, 2013, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A VISIT by soccer superstar David Beckham ended in chaos yesterday after seven people were injured in a stampede on a university campus in Shanghai.
Three police officers, two university guards and two students were taken to hospital.
A policewoman was the most seriously hurt, with eye and nose injuries, said doctors at the Xinhua Hospital where they were treated. The others, including a Japanese student, were stable.
At least 1,000 fans had gathered outside a stadium at Tongji University on Siping Road, where the British star was due to meet members of the university football team.
But after Beckham arrived, fans stormed through a gate and broke through a line formed by police and guards.
Many people were pushed to the ground, and a decision was quickly taken to cancel the event.
Police said they were investigating the incident while IMG, the event organizers, refused to comment.
"There were thousands of people screaming Beckham's name. People fell down and got injured. I don't know. It's the first time I see such crazy event," said Daniel Bondarchuk, a Tongji student from Ukraine, who came to take pictures of the footballer. "I was in front of the entrance gate and it was quite a dangerous place for me I think."
Fans began to gather near the university before 2pm with many holding posters and signs with Beckham's portrait.
Guards and police cordoned off some roads leading to the campus but seemed overwhelmed at the size of the turnout.
Things began to spiral out of control at around 2:30pm when Beckham's car was seen approaching and enthusiastic fans managed to break through at least one of the cordons.
Beckham's first stop was at a university building where he waved to the crowds from a window before getting back into his black Bentley to head toward the stadium gate.
"As soon as his car started moving, everyone just started to go crazy. I mean the police couldn't stop us, everyone just went through," said Chono Chibesakunda, a Tongji student from Zambia who had his glasses broken during the stampede.
"As soon as the car stopped here (in front of the gate) people became hard to control and the guards realized that they had no other choice but to open the gate and rush him in," Chibesakunda said.
"As soon as he was inside, people broke through the gate as well and just stormed in. The police tried to stop people, someone fell and people were being trampled on."
After he reached the pitch, Beckham shook hands with some fans before his security personnel realized they were too few to cope with the rush of approaching fans and a scheduled meeting with members of the university football team was called off.
Beckham later posted on his Weibo microblog: "I had an incredible response from everyone at Shanghai Tongji University today, sorry I couldn't get out on the pitch to see the teams. It was impossible to get through the massive crowds. I heard there were a few injuries, hope the fans are ok and I wish them a speed recovery."
Beckham is in China on a seven-day promotional tour for the Chinese Super League, China's top league, in his role as an ambassador for the Youth Football Program in China and the CSL. The 38-year-old superstar began his new role in March, before announcing his retirement last month after winning the French league title with Paris Saint-Germain.
Three police officers, two university guards and two students were taken to hospital.
A policewoman was the most seriously hurt, with eye and nose injuries, said doctors at the Xinhua Hospital where they were treated. The others, including a Japanese student, were stable.
At least 1,000 fans had gathered outside a stadium at Tongji University on Siping Road, where the British star was due to meet members of the university football team.
But after Beckham arrived, fans stormed through a gate and broke through a line formed by police and guards.
Many people were pushed to the ground, and a decision was quickly taken to cancel the event.
Police said they were investigating the incident while IMG, the event organizers, refused to comment.
"There were thousands of people screaming Beckham's name. People fell down and got injured. I don't know. It's the first time I see such crazy event," said Daniel Bondarchuk, a Tongji student from Ukraine, who came to take pictures of the footballer. "I was in front of the entrance gate and it was quite a dangerous place for me I think."
Fans began to gather near the university before 2pm with many holding posters and signs with Beckham's portrait.
Guards and police cordoned off some roads leading to the campus but seemed overwhelmed at the size of the turnout.
Things began to spiral out of control at around 2:30pm when Beckham's car was seen approaching and enthusiastic fans managed to break through at least one of the cordons.
Beckham's first stop was at a university building where he waved to the crowds from a window before getting back into his black Bentley to head toward the stadium gate.
"As soon as his car started moving, everyone just started to go crazy. I mean the police couldn't stop us, everyone just went through," said Chono Chibesakunda, a Tongji student from Zambia who had his glasses broken during the stampede.
"As soon as the car stopped here (in front of the gate) people became hard to control and the guards realized that they had no other choice but to open the gate and rush him in," Chibesakunda said.
"As soon as he was inside, people broke through the gate as well and just stormed in. The police tried to stop people, someone fell and people were being trampled on."
After he reached the pitch, Beckham shook hands with some fans before his security personnel realized they were too few to cope with the rush of approaching fans and a scheduled meeting with members of the university football team was called off.
Beckham later posted on his Weibo microblog: "I had an incredible response from everyone at Shanghai Tongji University today, sorry I couldn't get out on the pitch to see the teams. It was impossible to get through the massive crowds. I heard there were a few injuries, hope the fans are ok and I wish them a speed recovery."
Beckham is in China on a seven-day promotional tour for the Chinese Super League, China's top league, in his role as an ambassador for the Youth Football Program in China and the CSL. The 38-year-old superstar began his new role in March, before announcing his retirement last month after winning the French league title with Paris Saint-Germain.
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