The Nigeria Football Federation has explained that the sudden death of Confederation of African Football medical official, Dr Joseph Kabungo, was not as a result of the unpalatable scenes that followed the World Cup playoffs fixture between the Super Eagles and Black Stars.
The Zambian doctor, a doping control officer during the match on Tuesday evening, was certified dead not long after irate fans invaded the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja pitch and assaulted everyone in sight following the 1-1 draw that eliminated Nigeria from the Qatar 2022 World Cup race.
Initial reports linked Kabungo’s unfortunate death with the ugly scenes as eye witnesses claimed he was trod upon by the mob.
However, the NFF on Wednesday afternoon gave a different account, which claimed Kabungo died of a cardiac arrest.
The NFF ‘expressed shock and sorrow’ over the doctor’s death before giving their own version of events in an official press release.
“We are terribly shocked at this sad development. The NFF commiserates with world football body FIFA, the Confederation of African Football, the Football Association of Zambia and the family of Dr Kabungo on his sudden passing. His death pains us very much and we are in a state of deep shock,” the NFF’s general secretary Mohammed Sanusi said.
“However, it is important to state the facts as they are. According to the information from our own medical officer, Dr Onimisi Ozi Salami, who was appointed by FIFA as Medical Officer for the game, Dr Kabungo was found gasping for breath near the dressing room of the Ghanaian team.
“I was notified and I ordered that he should be rushed to the hospital. He didn’t make it. He died just as they got to the hospital.”
Dr Ozi Salami told thenff.com that the incident happened when he (Dr Salami) was looking to get the Nigerian player for the doping exercise, while Dr Kabungo was looking to get the Ghanaian players for the same exercise.
“I was heading to the dressing room of the Nigerian team when the General Coordinator, Kabore Hubert Bosilong from South Africa, called my attention.
“Dr Kabungo suddenly started gasping for breath. The FIFA Security Officer for the match, Mr Dixon Adol Okello from Uganda also witnessed the incident.
“We tried to resuscitate him there and then, but when this did not appear to be working, we put him in an ambulance and rushed him to Cedar Crest Hospital in Apo, where he gave up the ghost.
“It is a very sad incident and one is shocked that some persons have been putting a terrible slant to the whole thing by saying he was beaten up by fans. That is a lie. He died as a result of sudden cardiact arrest.”
Officials of the NFF, the medical team and officials of the High Commission of Zambia held a meeting on Wednesday morning to decide on the next line of action following Dr Kabungo’s death.
