Event Operations Manual
Software for Club Treasurers

Deaths at Sporting Events

Sport is littered with a history of extraordinary and unfortunate deaths of spectators at events. This occurs despite precautions put in place for spectator safety.

Whenever a large crowd gathers at any event, irrespective of whether it is sporting, music or cultural, there is a risk of 'crowd crush'. Some of sports worst ever tragedies have been caused by crowd crush. This phenomenon occurs when large numbers of people move hurriedly and uncontrollably. The situation is aggravated and very dangerous when crowd movement occurs in a size-restricted area such as a walkway, staircase, corridor and doorway. Usually something happens to make the crowd move hurriedly such as a fire, or some other life threatening event.

Deaths also occur at sporting events that are nothing to do with crowd movement. Some of these instances are most extra-ordinary and bizarre as the list below indicates.

Large scale spectator tragedy

The following examples are just some of the very many occurrences of death by crowd crush:

Individual spectator death

The following examples indicate there are many freakish ways to die at an event (which is supposed to be a fun day out!):

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