Brazilian football legend Pelé sympathized this Monday with the families of the victims of the tragedy at a football stadium in Indonesia.
“I wish much peace and love to all the people of Indonesia. Violence does not match sport. There is no pain of defeat that can justify us losing our love for our neighbor. Sport should always be an act of love,” wrote the ‘Rei’ on his Instagram account.
The 81-year-old former star accompanied the message with an image of a child sitting next to a large heart formed by candles, with photos of the victims inside.
At least 125 people were killed, including 32 children, and another 323 were injured over the weekend in Indonesia when security forces fired tear gas at a packed stadium, sparking a brawl.
The tragedy, one of the worst in football history, occurred on Saturday night in the city of Malang, after fans of local team Arema FC invaded the field of Kanjuruhan Stadium after losing 3-2 to arch-rivals Persebaya Surabaya.
Police responded by firing tear gas into the packed stands, prompting a mass of spectators to run en masse towards small gates where many were crushed or suffocated, according to witnesses.