The Ministry of Internal Affairs is investigating an incident at the Atele Indoor Stadium where people were forced to feel their way to the exit in complete darkness after claims the manager rejected requests to turn the lights on.
While no one was injured, there were reports of people and children panicking and shouting.
There were fears that the chaos and confusion among spectators could incite violence in the darkness.
Spectators begged the stadium management to turn on the lights but their requests were unsuccessful.
One of the female managers was apparently dissatisfied with Tevita Siale, the president of the Tāvale tournament, after he failed to adhere to the agreed schedule, choosing to instead finish it off during the daytime.
The female manager in question allegedly turned off the light immediately after the competition between the Siulanga He ‘Ofa team and the Peau Maʻa team was completed.
Many spectators were astounded by her refusal to change her mind and restore power to the lights.
The Peau Ma’a team won the tournament and both supporters started moving in to meet the teams when the stadium was placed in total darkness.
Some supporters of the Peau Ma’a promptly suspected the Siulanga He ‘Ofa team and their supporters were angered by their loss and intentionally turned off the lights so they could mount a physical attack on members of the winning team, the Kakalu ‘O Tonga Newspaper reported on December 29, 2016.
However the organisers quickly discovered it was the manager of the stadium who was responsible for turning off the lights.
After some failed negotiations with the manager, she adamantly stood by her decision to keep the lights turned off.
People used their cellphone torches to lead their way out with the help of the stadium security guards.
According to the paper, the tournament started later than originally planned and Siale contacted the manager to come and turn on the lights.
The manager was reportedly busy with other commitments, so Siale took initiative and turned on the lights. The tournament continued before the manager arrived to turned the lights off.
The indoor stadium is under the control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The Ministry’s CEO Ana Bing Fonua told Kaniva News she has yet to receive any information about the issue.
Fonua said she cc’d her email with us to ‘Onemato ‘Anisi, the Sports Deputy Director, so he can provide her with information from the manager who made the decision to turn the lights off at the stadium.
“The role of the Ministry to make sure the people are safe at sporting venues that are controlled by the Ministry is important”, Fonua said in Tongan.
She said they would urgently work on the matter and would provide a formal response.
