Int Football - Footballer drowns in exorcism

Eurosport - Wed, 08 Oct 11:27:00 2008

A Zimbabwean football player drowned in a crocodile infested river during a ritual to cleanse his team of bad spirits before a match.

Crocodile - 0

State newspaper The Chronicle quoted unnamed sources as saying about 16 players from second division side Midland Portland Cement were told to swim in the Zambezi river in the resort town of Victoria Falls ahead of a match on Sunday.

"The technical team told every player to get into the river so that they could be cleansed of bad spirits," it said.

The paper quoted local police commander Peter Rodzi as saying that after the swim, the other players had noticed that one of the team was missing.

"The area where the team was swimming is prohibited as the current is strong. The river is also infested with crocodiles and hippos," said Rodzi.

Belief in the power of spirits is widespread in Zimbabwe and many African countries.

Reuters

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  1. Whit a bunch o' deafies!!... The manager told them­ tae EXERCISE!!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Thu 9 Oct 1:42PM

  2. POINT 56: I have no beliefs, hence I can make those­ comments without a feeling of compassion! If people­ still believe in the Holy Trinity, Allah, Buddha, etc..­ then that is their choice, not mine! And I don't­ appreciate people forcing their beliefs onto others­ either, as my cousin (who's a Church of Scotland­ minister) will testify. To prove one particular point,­ I broke his jaw, then kicked him down a flight of­ stairs for spouting anti-semitic bile at an­ ex-girlfriend, who was not only Jewish, but members of­ her family were exterminated by the nazi's!!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Thu 9 Oct 12:28PM

  3. Bless his soul, may he rest in peace and may his family­ and loved ones have comfort at what must be a very­ difficult time. RIP.

    From MARY S, on Thu 9 Oct 9:29AM

  4. Dont blame us.. blame Angela Lansbury

    From Lee B, on Wed 8 Oct 8:49PM

  5. party pooper

    From , on Wed 8 Oct 7:58PM

  6. This is incredible, I can't believe not only how­ ignorant most Western people are, but also the fact­ that there is no compassion shown to someone who died:­ you think that because you were raised in such a way­ that the rest of the world should follow? Think again.­ These people take their beliefs more seriously than the­ majority of most of you, and to think that you are more­ correct based on lifestyle, wealth or some other­ Western ideology is pretty sad.
    The fact that someone­ died deserves compassion regardless of how stupid you­ think what they did may be. More than just the victim­ is affected you realise: the team, the club the­ players, and most importantly the family and loved­ ones. And after all of this, people still feel inclined­ to make a cheap joke on the other side of the world. If­ this is the case, civilisation is definitely in the­ decline.

    From Andrew, on Wed 8 Oct 6:06PM

  7. Never smile at a crocodile!!...

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Wed 8 Oct 4:45PM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    the only one to score was the crocs 1-0

    From rdcookie, on Wed 8 Oct 4:17PM

  9. No problems, Lee.. I think the truth will out!! Anyway,­ that'll teach the buggers to skimp on the Rice­ Krispies... (SNAP, CRACKLE, and POP).. LOL!!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Wed 8 Oct 3:52PM

  10. Tried to make a comment on Lansburys extensive­ underwater training but it was deemed invalid. So lets­ leave it at that. You know the culprits here Stevie

    From Lee B, on Wed 8 Oct 3:46PM

  11. I reckon we should haul those 2 kids in for­ questioning!.. If they don't co-operate, we'll­ get Julie Andrews to force a confession out of them!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Wed 8 Oct 3:18PM

  12. Cheers, Lee! Her alibi's looking rather shaky­ now!!..

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Wed 8 Oct 3:17PM

  13. oh come on - anyone stupid enough (of the darker shade­ variety) to be told that in order to get rid of bad­ spirits they need to swim in a crocodile infested river­ (and they live in the area) should expect the­ consequences.

    more oxygen for the rest of us and the­ croc got a feed - pity it wasnt old bob mugabe.

    From ROBIN, on Wed 8 Oct 3:14PM

  14. I think we're all forgetting the real victims of­ this tragedy, the fans it's always the fans that­ suffer eh?

    From MG, on Wed 8 Oct 3:04PM

  15. Stevie.. wasnt it ..its lovely bobbing along, bobbing­ along at the BOTTOM of the beautiful briny sea..? Think­ we are closing in an answer here.Love the hit parade by­ the way. was gonna suggest Snapiness- BMG or Never­ smile at a Crocodile by Nancy Sinatra...but reckon the­ Crocs have got enough to put up with everybody thinking­ they did this.

    From Lee B, on Wed 8 Oct 3:03PM

  16. LEE: "bobbing along on the beautiful briny­ sea" indeed!!.. I think we should have that alibi­ thoroughly investigated!!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Wed 8 Oct 2:55PM

  17. ROY.FALLON!: would that be "bed"knobheads,­ perchance??...

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Wed 8 Oct 2:48PM

  18. STEVIE B ,, i new from the moment i saw this story.­ This just stinks of Landsbury .

    From Lee B, on Wed 8 Oct 2:48PM

  19. Oh how funny is that? What a bunch of knobheads....So­ so funny...

    From ROY F, on Wed 8 Oct 2:42PM

  20. Yeah, LEE B: the bedknobs and the broomsticks were just­ an alibi!!.. The @#$% done it, and no mistake!!.. She­ should be taken out and lynched, I tell you!!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Wed 8 Oct 2:41PM
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