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Fans storm the pitch after the game in Abuja
Photo:
PIUS UTOMI EKPEI / AFP
A doctor from FIFA, the world governing body, died during the crucial World Cup qualifier between West African countries Nigeria and Ghana.
Zambian doctor Joseph Kabungo was on Tuesday at the stadium in Nigeria's capital Abuja as a doping officer, the Football Association of Zambia (FAS) said on Wednesday.
Violent riots broke out on Tuesday evening after the Nigerian team lost to their neighbors.
TV pictures and videos on social networks showed how angry fans stormed the pitch of the stadium after the 1-1 draw.
The rioters threw objects onto the field, destroyed benches and tore up goal nets and advertising banners.
Security forces tried to bring the situation under control with tear gas.
The Nigerian Football Association gave Kabungo's cause of death as a heart attack.
A statement released in the evening said: 'It is a very sad incident and one is shocked that some people are horribly disfiguring it and claiming he was beaten to death by fans;
that's a lie: he died after a sudden heart attack.«
Nigeria missed World Cup in Qatar
Some media initially speculated whether Kabungo was killed by rampaging fans or died of natural causes.
This was denied by the Secretary General of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Mohammed Sanusi.
Kabungo, the match's doping control officer, was about to test a player when he was found gasping for air near the Ghana team's dressing room.
'I was notified and ordered that he be taken to the hospital immediately.
He did not make it.
He died when they got to the hospital,” Sanusi said.
Nigeria failed to qualify for the World Cup finals in Qatar with a 1-1 draw.
ara/dpa/rtr
