Six Guinean supporters died while celebrating the country’s first win at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, in Ivory Coast.
The Guinean Football Federation, Feguifoot, made this revelation to BBC, saying the incident occurred when fans took to the roads of the Guinean capital, Conakry, to celebrate in cars and on motorcycles.
Guinea beat The Gambia 1-0 in their second group game in Ivory Coast on Friday night, igniting widespread celebrations across the West African nation.
Feguifoot media manager, Amadou Makadji, said their supporters and the public celebrated in a lively manner.
“What is important is that our fans and the public celebrate in a very measured fashion.
“They have to be very careful not to put themselves in danger, because football aims to bring joy and not leave families bereaved. We do not want deaths to mourn, so we call on everyone to celebrate but to take care of themselves so that nothing happens to them.
“Guinea is a country where people are very, very passionate about football and they experience football like nowhere else in the world,” he said.
Aguibou Camara scored to move Guinea up to second in Group C with four points, two behind defending champions Senegal, but three ahead of third-placed Cameroon, who are five-time winners, while the Gambians have no point.
According to a police source, three people died when two vehicles collided at high speed while several dozen others were injured in road accidents, adding that many fans drove around on car bonnets as the capital’s roads were filled up in celebration.
Meanwhile, Feguifoot and former star Pascal Feindouno have urged the country’s fans to be calm.
“I have a message to send to Guinean men and women,” the 42-year-old, who played at four Nations Cups, told the BBC in Yamoussoukro, where the team is based.
DAILY POST reports that the Nations Cup, which kicked off on 13 January, will end with the final in Ivory Coast’s economic capital Abidjan on 11 February.