Six dead in Guinea as celebrations turn tragic after AFCON victory
Tragedy struck in Guinea as the celebrations following the Syli National’s 1-0 victory over Gambia in the Africa 2023 Cup of Nations turned fatal, claiming the lives of six people.
The Guinean football federation confirmed the deaths, along with numerous injuries resulting from a collision between two vehicles traveling at high speed.
The wild scenes of jubilation erupted on the streets of Conakry, the Guinean capital, as people celebrated the national team’s triumph on Friday night.
The festivities, marked by car and motorcycle processions, took a somber turn with the unfortunate accident.
Former Guinea star Pascal Feindouno, now in Yamoussoukro with the national team, appealed for calm in the aftermath of the tragic incident. He emphasized the need to support the country without endangering lives.
“I have a message to send to Guinean men and women. Rest assured that we will do something at the Nations Cup, but we have learned something that will destabilize us. We learned there were deaths after the victory against The Gambia.
” We want this to stop because we are here to defend the colors of the country. Everything is going well for us at the moment, so support the country but don’t do anything to kill each other or oneself. Stay calm. Thank you,” Feindouno stated in an interview with the BBC.
A spokesperson for the Guinea football federation emphasized the importance of celebrating in a measured fashion, urging the public to exercise caution and avoid putting themselves in danger during celebrations.
The spokesperson emphasized that football is meant to bring joy and not lead to tragedies that leave families bereaved.
“Guinea is a country where people are very, very passionate about football, and they experience football like nowhere else in the world,” the spokesperson added.
Guinea’s national team is set to play their final group game against Senegal in Yamoussoukro on Tuesday. In light of the recent events, there are calls for responsible and measured celebrations to prevent further sad incidents.
