Afcon 2023: Calls for calm in Guinea after six fans die amid Afcon celebrations
The Guinean football federation (Feguifoot) and former star Pascal Feindouno have called for calm after supporters died back home celebrating the country’s first win at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations.
Guinea beat The Gambia 1-0 in their second group game in Ivory Coast on Friday night, sparking widespread celebrations across the West African nation.
Six people died after the team ignited their Nations Cup campaign, Feguifoot has told the BBC, after fans took to the roads of the Guinean capital Conakry to celebrate in cars and on motorcycles.
“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 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.”
Fans spilled onto the streets shortly after the final whistle blew in the Ivorian capital Yamoussoukro where Guinea’s win, which followed Monday’s opening 1-1 draw with Cameroon, was only their third in their last 15 Nations Cup matches dating back to 2012.
