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WATCH: 15 People Injured In World Cup Stampede

Since it was first announced as the host site of this year’s World Cup, South Africa has faced no shortage of concerns regarding its ability to serve in this capacity.

Will the stadiums be ready? Will public transport be adequate? Will crime be an issue?

And while the country has worked tirelessly to address such concerns–South African president Jacob Zuma insists that the country is set for the start of the World Cup–it appears that the tournament will face yet another question with the first match only four days away: will crowd safety be insured?

This concern comes in light of a crowd stampede that occurred on Sunday prior to the start of an exhibition match between Nigeria and North Korea during which thousands of fans devolved into chaos in attempts to get their hands on free tickets that were being given out.  15 people were injured.

Equally disconcerting, moreover, is that, in the wake of the incident, no party has embraced responsibility or shown any accountability whatsoever.

FIFA released the following statement yesterday, trying to vindicate itself of its role in the affair:

“FIFA and the OC [local organizing committee] would like to reiterate that this friendly match has no relation whatsoever with the operational organization of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, for which we remain fully confident.”

However, the Nigerian soccer federation, the representative body of designated home team of yesterday’s affair and thus of the team responsible for the security of the venue, had this to say this morning in response:

“[The Nigerian soccer federation] had no choice” because “that was the only venue available to us…FIFA had taken control of all the stadia.”

Yet, regardless of whose fault it is, if there’s one silver lining to focus on, it’s this: The Makhulong Stadium in Tembisa–the site of of the riot–is not one of the venues for the World Cup.  In fact:

The Tembisa Stadium is nothing like those built or renovated for the World Cup. It has concrete terraces and is surrounded by a fence with gates and no turnstiles.

Let us thus hope that the problem was the venue; it would be quite a shame if the next month indicates that the problem was South Africa itself.

Watch the scary scene below: