Joseph Kabungo died while on duty during the World Cup qualifier
The Zambian FA have confirmed that a Confederation of African Football (CAF) medical officer died while on duty during Ghana’s World Cup qualifier against Nigeria.
Joseph Kabungo was working as an anti-doping officer for CAF for the second leg of the playoff which saw Ghana advance to the World Cup finals on away goals following a 1-1 draw.
The game was marred by violent scenes in Nigeria
Tear gas was reportedly fired as Nigeria fans smashed up parts of their own stadium after failing to qualify for the World Cup https://t.co/4Qh6HgMIvj
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) March 29, 2022
The full-time whistle sparked violent scenes as Nigeria fans stormed the pitch, attacking players from both sides as well as trying to damage parts of the stadium.
Police used tear gas to try and disperse the crowds as they threw chairs, ripped apart the dugout and threw objects as they ran down the tunnel for safety.
The Zambian FA confirmed Kabungo’s death in a statement on Wednesday
@FAZFootball joins the rest of the football family in mourning the late Dr Joseph Kabungo. Dr Kabungo, a CAF/FIFA medical officer was on duty in Abuja for the second leg, final qualifying match between Nigeria and Ghana that ended 1-1. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/D3VmbKCT3l
— FAZ (@FAZFootball) March 30, 2022
The Football Association of Zambia (ZAF) have now released a statement confirming the tragic death of Kabungo.
It said: “The Football Association of Zambia joins the rest of the football family in mourning the late Dr Joseph Kabungo. Dr Kabungo, a CAF/FIFA medical officer was on duty in Abuja for the second leg, the final qualifying match between Nigeria and Ghana that ended 1-1.”
Meanwhile the president of ZAF, Andrew Kamanga, added: “We take note that it is too early to dwell into the nitty-gritty of the cause of his death but will wait for the full report from CAF and FIFA on what exactly transpired.
“He was a dedicated and widely loved member of our football community and his impact was vast, having also been part of the 2012 Africa Cup-winning team.
“His death is a huge loss as Dr Kabungo was a friend and confidant to many generations of players and their families. He was one of the outstanding Zambian football personalities that flew the Zambian flag at global football events.
“We all have to learn from his example of excellence and celebrate his legacy by breeding more hard-working football Zambian administrators.”
The official cause of Kabungo’s death is unknown at this stage.
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