Senegal-Sudan at LSS: the public was there, the organization much less

Nearly 60,000 tickets sold, the stadium was sold out… and supporters stood for hours in front of the gates. For their return to Léopold Sédar Senghor, the Lions found their audience. The organization has once again been talked about, and not in a good way.

Everything started well though. After seven years away from their home, the Dakarois responded, and on the ground, the Lions did the job against Sudan (4-1). But before kick-off, enthusiasm quickly gave way to annoyance.

Many supporters had purchased their tickets via Max it from Orange. They had to wait several hours before entering. In question, a ticket control and validation system which lacked fluidity, and visibly insufficient staff for such a large crowd. The lines stretched in front of the gates, and the supporters denounced the harassment.

Hiccups that repeat themselves

The stands told the same story. In the first half, empty pockets remained visible in the open stand and at box level, in a stadium that was supposed to be full. When we returned from the locker room, they were full. This discrepancy between tickets sold and seats occupied poses a real question about flow management.

Nobody is asking us to turn our back on digital technology. Online ticketing can curb the black market, better control sales and provide transparency. But buying your ticket in a few clicks should not turn into an obstacle course to get through the gates. A modern system only makes sense if human resources and control follow, at the moment that counts: entry.

Organizational hiccups become recurring, and the most annoying thing is that we end up taking them for an inevitability. Last night, we came close to tragedy: hundreds of supporters, caught in a stampede, forced the doors to enter the stadium. Adjustments are necessary, on both the federation and organizer sides, before the Lions’ next outings.

This popular success also rekindles a debate: what place should we now reserve at the Me Abdoulaye Wade stadium in Diamniadio, given the appeal of Senghor, close and anchored in the daily lives of Dakar residents?

Sheikh Gora DIOP