We found late FIFA doctor gasping near dressing room –NFF

The Nigeria Football Federation has confirmed the death of FIFA/CAF medical officer, Joseph Kabungo, after the 2022 World Cup play-off match between Nigeria and Ghana on Tuesday.

NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, made this known in a statement on Wednesday.

AF24news had earlier reported, based on a preliminary assessment, that Kabungo had died on his way to the hospital from the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on Tuesday.

Expressing shock over the incident, Sanusi stated, “The NFF commiserates with the world football governing 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,” Sanusi said while giving an account of what happened to Kabungo who was the match’s Doping Control Officer.

”According to the information from our own Medical Officer, Onimisi Salami, who was appointed by FIFA as the game’s medical officer, Kabungo was found gasping for breath near the dressing room of the Ghanaian team,” he added but said as he was heading to the dressing room of the Nigerian team, the General Coordinator, Kabore Bosilong from South Africa had called his attention to the issue.

“Kabungo suddenly started gasping for breath. The match’s FIFA Security Officer, Dixon 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,” the NFF official insisted.