Six Guinea Fans Die In Wild Celebration After AFCON Victory Against Gambia

Six football fans in Guinea have lost their lives while celebrating the country’s 1-0 victory over Gambia at the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

On Friday night, Aguibou Camara scored the only goal to give Guinea a narrow 1-0 victory, giving his country hope of making the knock-out stage of the tournament.

Fans took the streets to celebrate in cars and on motorbikes n Guinea’s capital Conakry taking, leading to fatal accidents, with three casualties in a high-speed collision and others injured in road incidents.

Agence France Presse reported that three people died when two vehicles collided at high speed, while others were injured in road accidents.

Guinea Football Federation media manager Amadou Makadji told the BBC that six people have been confirmed to have died in the celebrations.

The country’s FA calls for measured celebrations to prevent further tragedies, emphasizing the importance of joyful football experiences without causing grief.

‘What is important is that our fans and the public celebrate in a very measured fashion,’ Feguifoot media manager Amadou Makadji told BBC Sport Africa.

‘They have to be very careful to not put themselves in danger because the goal of football is to bring joy and not leave families bereaved. 

‘We do not want deaths to be mourned, 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.’

Football legend, Pascal Feindouno joined the appeal for calm, expressing concern that news of fan deaths may destabilize the team.

Feindouno, who helped the national team reach three consecutive quarter-finals between 2004 and 2008, urged the public to ‘support the country but don’t do anything to kill each other or oneself’.

KanyiDaily recalls that Nigerian singer, KCee was recently seen celebrating with his fellow artist Teni after the Super Eagles defeated Ivory Coast in the ongoing 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).