Estadio Mateo Flores
1860896
224181101
2008-07-07T18:15:08Z
64.48.59.2
{{Infobox Stadium |
stadium_name = Estadio Mateo Flores |
nickname = ''Coloso de la Zona 5'' |
image = [[Image:Mateo Flores.jpg|140px]]|
fullname = Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores |
location = [[Guatemala City]], [[Guatemala]] |
built = [[1948]]|
opened = [[August 18]], [[1950]] |
renovated = |
closed = |
demolished = |
owner = |
operator = [[Confederación Deportiva Autónoma de Guatemala|CDAG]] |
surface = Grass |
construction_cost = |
architect = |
former_names = ''Estadio Olímpico''; ''Estadio de la Revolución'' |
tenants = [[CSD Municipal]] & [[CSD Comunicaciones]] ([[Liga Nacional de Guatemala|Liga Nacional]]) |
seating_capacity = 45,000 |
dimensions = |
}}
The '''Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores''' is a multi-use [[national stadium]] in [[Guatemala City]], the largest in [[Guatemala]]. It was built in [[1948]], to host the [[1950 Central American and Caribbean Games|Central American and Caribbean Games]] in [[1950 in sports|1950]], and was renamed after [[Long-distance track event|long-distance runner]] [[Mateo Flores]], winner of the 1952 [[Boston Marathon]]. It has a capacity of 30,000 seats.
Used mostly for [[football (soccer)]] matches, the stadium has hosted the majority of the home matches of the [[Guatemala national football team]] throughout its history, and is the home of local football club [[CSD Municipal|Municipal]] (''Los Rojos''). The venue is operated by the ''[[Confederación Deportiva Autónoma de Guatemala]]'' (CDAG).
One of the worst disasters ever to occur in a sports venue took place at the stadium in 1996, when 83 people were killed due to a [[Stampede#Human stampedes|human avalanche]] on the stands.
==General description==
The grass field of the Mateo Flores is surrounded by an eight-lane [[Track and field athletics#Outdoor track and field|athletic track]], which originally was made of sand, and later remodeled to have a synthetic [[tartan track|tartan surface]]. The seating area is divided in five sections: ''Palco'' (located on the [[west]], and the only section under roof), ''Tribuna'' (west, surrounding the ''Palco''), ''Preferencia'' ([[east]]), ''General Norte'' ([[north]]), and ''General Sur'' ([[south]], where the main entrance is located).
==History==
The stadium was built in 1948, as part of the project to build a group of sports facilities known as ''Ciudad Olímpica'', in the Zone 5 of the Guatemalan Capital. Originally named ''Estadio Olímpico'' – erroneously, since it has never hosted an [[Olympic games|olympic]] competition –, it is primarily constructed of [[reinforced concrete]], which is why sometimes it is colloquially referred to as ''Coloso de Concreto''. It was inaugurated on [[August 18]], [[1950 in sports|1950]], to host the [[1950 Central American and Caribbean Games|VI Central American and Caribbean Games]], at which local runner [[Mateo Flores|Doroteo (Mateo) Flores]] won the [[half marathon]] event.
After Flores' triumph in the [[1952 in sports|1952]] [[Boston Marathon]], the Guatemalan government renamed the stadium after him, in recognition to his local and international achievements. Since then, the stadium is also colloquially called ''El Mateo''.
In [[1967 in sports|1967]], the [[Guatemala national football team]] won the NORCECA championship, predecessor of the [[CONCACAF Gold Cup]]. All of the tournament's matches were played at the Mateo Flores.
In [[1973 in sports|1973]], the stadium hosted the first ''[[Juegos Deportivos Centroamericanos]]'' (Central American Games), and has since been the venue for other two editions, in 1986 and 2001.
Throughout the years, the stadium has also been the usual finishing point of the annual ''[[Vuelta a Guatemala]]'', [[Central America]]'s largest single [[road cycling]] competition.
===The October 16 disaster===
On [[October 16]], [[1996]], minutes before a [[1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)|1998 FIFA World Cup qualification]] match between [[Guatemala national football team|Guatemala]] and [[Costa Rica national football team|Costa Rica]] was to take place, at least 83 people were killed and more than 140 injured as an excessive number of fans attempted to enter the ''General Sur'' section, creating a human avalanche into the bottom of the stands, which is separated from the field by a fence. The sale of [[counterfeit]] tickets led to the excess of attending public, and the improper design of the building in the event of an emergency caused the fans to stampede and fall onto each other, causing many people to [[asphyxia|suffocate]], in one of the worst tragedies ever occurred in a sports stadium.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thesportjournal.org/2006Journal/Vol9-No2/Doukas.asp| author=Doukas, Spiro G. | publisher=[[United States Sports Academy]]| title=Crowd Management: Past and Contemporary Issues | accessdate=2006-11-25 }}</ref>
The football match was immediately suspended by [[Presidents of Guatemala|Guatemala President]] [[Alvaro Arzú]], who was attending the event, and [[FIFA]] suspended the use of the stadium for official international matches until the safety issues were resolved, a ban that lasted over two years.<ref>{{es icon}} {{cite web |url=http://archive.laprensa.com.sv/20000328/deportes/dep1.asp | author=Torres, Alexander | publisher=''La Prensa Gráfica Online''| title=''"El "Mateo Flores" se reabre para competencia oficial de selecciones - Con la tragedia en la memoria"'' | accessdate=2006-11-25 }}</ref> Some of the problems have been addressed since, but the facility still presents multiple safety issues related to access and egress, and is considered prone to the occurrence of another emergency situation in the event of high attendance.<ref name="after10years">{{es icon}} {{cite web |url=http://www.prensalibre.com/pl/2006/octubre/15/154010.html | author=Castro, Claudia; Menocal, Carlos | publisher=''[[Prensa Libre]]''| title=''"Estadio sigue vulnerable - Diez años después de la tragedia en el Mateo Flores"'' | accessdate=2006-11-25 }}</ref>
It is believed that near 50,000 people were trying to attend the stadium that day, which days before the event had been determined to be capable of 37,500 people and of a maximum "congested" seating of 47,500. The total amount of printed tickets was 45,796. According to a local analysis, the number of printed tickets topped the capacity of the stadium by itself, and the circulation of [[counterfeit]] tickets made the excess of attendance incontrollable. At the time, 13 administrative directors were syndicated responsible for the deaths and injuries, but every one of them were able to have the charges dismissed. The [[Confederación Deportiva Autónoma de Guatemala|CDAG]] does not assume responsibility for the safety of the facility, claiming that it is the duty of the entities who organize the sports events. The CDAG, however, does not offer a basic contingency or emergency plan for the use of the stadium.<ref name="after10years" />
To comply with some of the recommendations made by FIFA after the 1996 events, the capacity of the stadium – which had no individual or numbered seating at the time – was reduced to 30,000 in the 2000s.
==References==
<references />
==Further reading==
*{{es icon}} {{cite web | url=http://www.elmundo.es/papel/hemeroteca/1996/10/18/deportes/173771.html | author=Espinosa, Javier | publisher=www.elmundo.es, [[El Mundo (Spain)]]| title=''"La avalancha de la muerte"'' | accessdate=2006-11-25 }} – Chronicle of the October 1996 tragedy
*{{es icon}} {{cite web | url=http://www.prensalibre.com/pl/domingo/archivo/revistad/2006/abril06/230406/dreportaje.shtml | author=Roldán, Ingrid | publisher=''[[Prensa Libre]]''| title=''"Una ciudad para los deportes"'' | accessdate=2006-11-25 }} – beginnings of the stadium and the ''Ciudad Olímpica''.
==External links==
*[http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/middle_america/guatemala/guatemala_flores.shtml ''WorldStadiums.com'' entry]
*[http://www.guate360.com/galeria/categories.php?cat_id=196 Gallery of images]
*[http://www.fussballtempel.net/concacaf/GUA/Mateo_Flores.html ''Fussballtempel.net'' - Gallery of images]
{{coor title dms|14|37|32.75|N|90|30|37.76|W|type:landmark}}
[[Category:Football venues in Guatemala|Mateo Flores]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Guatemala|Mateo Flores]]
[[Category:National stadiums|Mateo Flores]]
[[Category:Guatemala City]]