Champions League - Arsenal fan hangs himself

Eurosport - Wed, 06 May 15:38:00 2009

An Arsenal fan in football-mad Kenya hanged himself wearing his beloved team's shirt after their defeat to Manchester United in the Champions League.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Champions League Arsenal fans at the Emirates - 0

Like elsewhere across Africa, Kenyans pack bars for Premier League and Champions League matches, especially those involving Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool.

Suleiman Omondi, 29, was found hanged at his home in a middle-class Nairobi estate shortly after leaving distraught from the pub where he had watched Arsenal lose 3-1 in their Champions League semi-final at the Emirates on Tuesday.

"He took some drinks and broke down in tears within the final minutes of the match," a fellow bar patron, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.

Police said they were called to Omondi's house on Wednesday morning. "What we are gathering is this suicide is related to the Arsenal and Manchester match," local Embakasi area police chief David Bunei said.

Bar attendants said they had to intervene after Omondi lunged at a man who suggested Arsenal would not recover from conceding two early goals. They also lost the first leg 1-0.

Brawls are common in Kenya during football matches and there have been other related suicides reported in the past.

Reuters

Comment 652 - 671 of 691

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. May his gentle soul rest in peace. I am a chelsea fan­ and I cried badly for our not qualifying as a result of­ an incopetent referee. I took it too personal,­ scattered my hair and was screaming. I can only imagine­ this guys pain and anger, football should really be­ re-looked into, its actually a game. This mans death­ has made me realise that I should not be too passionate­ about a football game.To help matters other club­ supporters should learn to watch their tongues as they­ fuel unsatisfiable anger in other fans. This may also­ be part of the reason this guy hung himself.

    From Amaka, on Thu 7 May 8:28PM

  2. May his gentle soul rest in peace.Up Arsenal

    From florence c, on Thu 7 May 7:44PM

  3. Being suicidal is an ailment and with all the problems­ our beloved Kenya is experiencing i believe the young­ man had other underlying issues and football might have­ been the only bright spot in his life and with this­ also turning sour it pushed him over the edge.

    From james.masharia, on Thu 7 May 6:40PM

  4. am seriously shocked how far people go to over a­ football match.

    Am disappointed in him that he­ didn't attach better value to his life.

    Nothing is­ worth committing suicide for not the least a football­ game lost. Where there is life, there is hope and­ Arsenal will win again in the very near future!

    From ME, on Thu 7 May 6:32PM

  5. as arsenal fan we have lost one ours due 2 overdoses of­ disappointment Bless 2 soul and Rest in peace U will­ die in vain

    From raydiaz6, on Thu 7 May 6:15PM

  6. u people did not know wat fellings is.... but all the­ same i can't kill my self because of any body­ talkless of football team. well may his gentle soul­ rest in peace... Amen. femmy from lagos

    From femi o, on Thu 7 May 4:51PM

  7. I'm a Man United fan from Manchester UK. So sorry­ to hear about this Kenyan guy. Hope it wasn't only­ to do with the result maybe the guy was unstable. I­ wish his family all the best and hope United go on and­ win the Champions League trophy in his memory. A really­ sad day for football RIP mate.

    From IAN, on Thu 7 May 3:50PM

  8. Let the whole world know that Omondi of Kenya died like­ a drunken fool he was!!
    There are more important­ problems to die for in african but to choose Football?

    From Jimi O, on Thu 7 May 3:25PM

  9. Now thats what i call gutted.

    From kuledX, on Thu 7 May 3:22PM

  10. I PRAY ALMIGHTY GOD 4GIVE D LATE.MAY IS SOUL REST IN­ PERFECT PEACE.

    From okubadejo, on Thu 7 May 2:59PM

  11. Oh! Poor S. Omondi, why take your precious life because­ of what is being watched/taken as entertainment? You­ have gone while Arsenal players and shareholders have­ forgotten about that day.

    Hassan, Nigeria

    From hassangarga, on Thu 7 May 2:58PM

  12. Some people are turning this games into cults. I have­ no sympathy for someone who will lose his life when­ Arsenal will play football into the next century, and­ probaly beat other teams, including Man united. This­ should be discouraged. True lovers of this sport should­ treat it as it is, a game. Granted that one can love a­ particular team and be its fan, no one should take his­ life or that of anyone else for that. Life is just too­ precious! What a shame!

    From joshua u, on Thu 7 May 2:53PM

  13. My sincere condolences to the family of the deceased.­ And to those who were saying rubish. You dont know wat­ he was feeling so shut up.

    From mel, on Thu 7 May 2:50PM

  14. so sad,may his soul rest in peace

    From albert, on Thu 7 May 2:47PM

  15. kkkkk

    From Kola, on Thu 7 May 2:09PM

  16. may his soul rest in peace.. bendtner should learn­ something from him

    From AASHUTOSH, on Thu 7 May 1:25PM

  17. As manchester fan i take this opportunity to pass my­ condolence to the family,players and funs of arsenal. I­ will like to give the simple masege (Die strong for the­ one you love).OMONDI THE LION REST IN PEACE.REST IN­ PEACE. Reuben Alela MOmbasa kenya.

    From Ronny, on Thu 7 May 1:23PM

  18. kai poor S.Omondi he died after drinking and watching­ arsenal loss what else do we say to this kind death­ .African i know dont die for fun why is his different i­ think he got a miixed race inside him.cox d whit man­ kills himself finding out that his Spice Jam got­ finished when he needed it most.......................­ RIP S.Omondi

    From gen2_ d, on Thu 7 May 1:12PM

  19. its not up to dat its just agame after dat nite nikolas­ bedtner was in club enjoying himself despite the defeat­ its noffin ,, its a game you either lose or you win­ dats it

    From kunnati, on Thu 7 May 12:53PM

  20. foolish african. why hang yourself when arsenal ticket­ holders and shareholders ae not taking their lives. am­ also an african who supports an EPL team but i dont­ care a damn whether they lose or win. it will have no­ effect on how i struggle to earn my daily ugali.

    From Andrew, on Thu 7 May 12:33PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account