Tragedy struck Naija football on Tuesday morning when Warri Wolves first-choice goalkeeper, Adun Orobosa, slumped and died during a training session at the Oleh Township Stadium in Delta State.
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Spokesman of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) club, Azuka Chiemeka, confirmed the death too our correspondent on Tuesday afternoon in a telephone interview.
Chiemeka disclosed that the goalkeeper was one of the three players that was attacked by soccer hooligans during the fracas that broke out at the Beverly Hills Hotel Mini Stadium in Nnewi, before the kick off of a Premier League match between Wolves and Enugu Rangers last Sunday.
Before Tuesday morning's tragedy, Chiemeka explained that Orobosa was certified okay by doctors at the Oleh Central Hospital on arrival from Nnewi after the botched Premier League encounter with Enugu Rangers.
"The death of our goalkeeper, Adun Orobosa, is a big shock to all of us at the club because he is a very jovial person, who loves to crack jokes. I should just refresh your mind about the whole situation. Orobosa was one of the players that were attacked and injured before the game against Enugu Rangers on Sunday by hooligans. When we returned to Oleh, he was taken to the Oleh Central Hospital, where the doctors certified him okay. Before the team's training session this (Tuesday) morning, he was asked if he was okay and he answered in the affirmative. He didn't complain of any pain. The training in question was just a light workout to condition the players for our next match.
"Unfortunately during the training session, this (Tuesday) morning Orobosa slumped and all attempts by our team doctor and physiotherapist to revive him yielded no fruits. So he was rushed to the Central Hospital in Oleh, where he was confirmed dead later," he said.
As at the time of writing this report, Chiemeka also confirmed that doctors at the Central Hospital in Oleh, who certified Orobosa dead, were carrying out an autopsy on his remains to ascertain the cause of his death.
The Wolves' image-maker said attempts are underway to notify the family of the deceased goalkeeper.
"There is no way we can keep this from his family. As I speak to you, the management is making attempts to reach out to his family to inform them of his death, which is a great loss not only to them but to us and football in general in this country," he remarked.
However, the cause of the player's death may not be unconnected with internal injuries he may have sustained in the wake of the melee that broke out in Nnewi before the Premier League encounter with Enugu Rangers.
In spite of the player being certified fit by the Central Hospital in Oleh, the judgment of the Warri Wolves' management and officials may be called to question for allowing Orobosa to take part in Tuesday's ill-fated training session.
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