Many Crushed to Death During Stampede at World Cup Match
On October 16, 1996, a stampede at a World Cup qualifying match in Guatemala City claimed 84 lives and left over 100 people seriously injured. The disaster occurred before the Guatemala-Costa Rica match. Although the stadium has 45, 000 capacity, around 60,000 fans, many holding fake tickets they bought from illegal vendors, forced their way into the overcrowded stadium.
As fans pushed through a narrow passage, those at the front were crushed and suffocated. Fist fights further worsened the situation, which resulted in a deadly stampede. Guatemala's President Álvaro Arzú, who was present at the match, cancelled the game, but the tragedy had already occurred.
Many of the victims, including children, lay lifeless around the stadium which caused widespread mourning from families, football fans and other people around the world.
Soyinka wins Nobel Prize
Also, on this day in 1986, Wole Soyinka became the first African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. The Swedish Academy praised him as a writer "who, in a wide cultural perspective and with poetic overtones, fashions the drama of existence." His creative body of work, which blends African traditions with global literary forms, made him famous globally.
Soyinka's achievement marked a pivotal moment for African literature on the world stage, and showed his ability to capture the complexities of human experience, both personal and political, through his plays, essays, and poetry.
Other key events on this day
1. Canada awarded Pakistani education activist, Malala Yousafzai honorary citizenship - 2013
2. Desmond Tutu, a black Anglican Bishop, won Nobel Peace Prize - 1984
3. China became the world's 5th nuclear power - 1964
4. Mao Tse-tung and 25,000 troops began 6,000 mile Long March - 1934
5. Walt Disney Company founded - 1923
6. Abraham Lincoln spoke out against slavery - 1854
7. Italian Mountaineer, Reinhold Messner became the first person to scale the world's 4th tallest peak - 1986
8. The Food and Agriculture Organization, popularly known as the FAO was established - 1945
9. Flora Nwapa, the author of the popular novel 'Efuru' died - 1993
10. US Secretary of State, George P. Shultz threatened the UN if they vote to exclude Israel - 1982
11. 17-year old Lionel Messi made his league debut for FC Barcelona in a 1-0 win against Espanyol - 2004.
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