A FAT-Y MEDICAL SCANDAL!

MBABANE – While the African football fraternity is still trying to come to terms with the shocking death of Burundi international and Malanti Chiefs import Papy Faty, startling revelations have been made.

The player collapsed during a league game against Green Mamba at Killarney Sports Ground in Pigg’s Peak last Thursday and later died due to heart-related complications. He was certified dead at the nearby Pigg’s Peak Government Hospital.
Some teams, according to impeccable sources, dodge the system of medically examining players before registration.  However, this is not to suggest that Malanti Chiefs Football Club is one of the teams.

Before each player is registered by the Eswatini Football Association (EFA), a team is required to produce a completed form from a qualified physician or medical practitioner declaring that particular footballer medically fit to play.  This is a 15-page document styled pre-competition medical assessment form from the world soccer governing body FIFA.

Some teams, it has been reliably gathered, allegedly just take all the forms to a medical practitioner for stamping without examining a single player. “When they submit the forms for registration, everything looks to be in order,” alleged another impeccable source.
A player should be examined for chest pain or tightness, shortness of breath, asthma, cough and other heart problems before being registered.

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When sought for comment regarding the registration of Papy, who had a documented heart problem; Malanti Chiefs PRO Lungile Dube said her office was not allowed to comment on matters regarding players’ medical issues.  She said she got an instruction to refer such issues to EFA. She did not disclose who gave out the ‘order.’ 

Doctors had warned Papy not to play football again because of his heart condition in January this year. The following month he joined Malanti Chiefs.  He was not only playing for Malanti, but also his country’s national team. He is fresh from helping Burundi qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to be played in Egypt in about a month’s time. He was the only player based in Eswatini, who was headed to the AFCON finals.

Papy’s passion for the game did not stop him from defying the doctors’ orders. After his contract was terminated by two sides Bidvest Wits and Real Kings due to his condition, he decided to try his luck with Malanti, where he signed a six-month contract which was expiring at the end of the current campaign in June.

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