A football player with the Angels Football Academy, Christopher Edoghogho is reported to have slumped and died during a football match in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
Edoghogho is alleged to have collapsed on the pitch on Thursday, June 2, two minutes into the match against BJ Foundation Football Club in the ongoing Federation Cup.
His teammates blocked the main entrance of the Edo Specialist Hospital, Benin and the busy Sapele Road, to protest the alleged carelessness of the medical personnel.
One of the player’s teammates, Okiemute Ovie explained that the match had started out without any issues at the Edo State School of Health, Dumez Road, when Edoghogho headed the ball and suddenly slumped in the field of play.
Ovie said that when Edoghogho slumped, other players and spectators thought nothing of it as players usually fell during tournaments.
He noted that they soon realised that his condition was critical and immediately called the attention of the medical team.
In his words, “The game was on when Chris headed the ball to the centre cycle and went down about two minutes after then. We all thought it was one of the normal fallings that do happen on the pitch. While they were checking, the referee signalled the medical team and they came in and rushed him away.”
Ovie stated that the players were aggrieved when the organisers asked the players to continue the football match while they waited anxiously for news of Edoghogho’s condition.
He said that they refused but instead rushed to the hospital to find out the condition of their colleague whom they met lifeless in an ambulance.
“We demanded to know what happened to our colleague but nobody was ready to talk to us. Until now, none of the members of the organizer of the tournament is here. It is over four hours since the incident happened.” he added.
An official of the ministry, who confirmed the incident, however promised that the organizers will brief the press at the appropriate time.
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