The East African nation of Zambia has confirmed the death of its football official in Nigeria, a situation that could expose Nigerian football to FIFA sanctions.
The Football Association of Zambia confirmed the death of Joseph Kabungo, a CAF/FIFA medical officer, in Abuja after Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier second leg between Nigeria and Ghana.
The match ended 1-1 with the Black Stars qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar on away goals rule.
In a post on its Facebook page, the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) wrote: “The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) 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.
FAZ President Andrew Kamanga said: “Today we mourn the passing of our CAF/FIFA medical officer Dr. Joseph Kabungo who was on duty as a Doping officer in Tuesday’s match involving Nigeria and Ghana, and we extend our sincere condolences to Dr. Kabungo’s family and the football family at large.”
The cause of death remains sketchy even though some reports suggested that the fracas after the match caused by the pitch invasion could have led to Mr Kabungo’s death.
The FAZ president did not state the cause of death in the post but noted, “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.”
The venue of Tuesday’s encounter was the newly refurbished MKO Abiola Stadium and with the gates thrown open, was full to its 60,000 capacity.
There was much optimism from Nigerian fans after the Eagles forced the Black Stars to a 0-0 draw last Friday in Kumasi and many expected the Eagles to stamp their qualification.
Kamanga continued: “Dr. Kabungo was a permanent fixture at football events including the FIFA Arab Cup in Qatar which is a precursor for the 2022 World Cup. He was also part of the medical team during the Cameroon 2021 (played in 2022) Africa Cup of Nations.
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