The Nigeria Football Federation has released more details on the death of Confederation of African Football’s medical officer, Dr Joseph Kabungo.
NFF, on Wednesday, noted that Kabungo died before getting to the hospital.
According to the football federation, the medical officer collapsed while looking for Ghanaian players to undergo doping tests.
NFF gave the explanation in a statement by its spokesman, Ademola Olajire, titled, ‘NFF condoles with FIFA, CAF, Zambia over death of Doping Control Officer through a cardiac arrest’.
The federation also expressed “shock and sorrow” over the death of FIFA/CAF Medical Officer, who died on Tuesday after the FIFA World Cup playoff match between Nigeria and Ghana at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
The PUNCH had reported that Kabungo was appointed as Doping Control Officer for the match.
“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.
“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 ordered that he should be rushed to the hospital. He didn’t make it. He died just as they got to the hospital,” the statement quoted NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, as saying.
Salami was quoted as saying that the incident happened when he (Salami) was looking to get the Nigerian player for the doping exercise, while Kabungo was looking to get the Ghanaian player for the same exercise.
The PUNCH gathered that this happened a few minutes after angry Nigerian fans attacked the Ghanaian players.
He said, “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 cardiac arrest.”
Officials of the NFF, the medical team and officials of the High Commission of Zambia were said to hold a meeting on Wednesday morning to decide on the next line of action following the demise of Kabungo.
