International Football
World Cup 2022 records death number four
Argentina’s qualification for the final match of the Qatar 2022 World Cup has been marred by the news of yet another death, making it the fourth occurrence at the on-going World Cup.
At the imposing Lusail Stadium, venue of the crucial semi-final match and the designation site for the Sunday final match, a Kenyan security guard, John Njau Kibue, aged 24. had a fatal fall days before the Argentina – Croatia match.
But by Wednesday, his death was confirmed after an initial report that that his condition had stabilised. However, he died after three days in hospital. Qatari organisers say they “are investigating the circumstances leading to the fall as a matter of urgency”.
But in Kenya, the family of the dead security man are not taking things lightly as they are demanding for answers on circumstances leading to the fall and the eventual death.
Organisers inisted that the medical teams immediately attended the scene and provided emergency treatment before he was transferred to Hamad Medical Hospital’s intensive care unit via ambulance.
“We regret to announce that, despite the efforts of the medical team, he sadly passed away in hospital on Tuesday 13 December, after being in the intensive care unit for three days,” the statement said.
“His next of kin have been informed. We send our sincere condolences to his family, colleagues and friends during this difficult time.”
Kibue’s family in Kenya are hoping to receive more than just condolences, however, as they continue to wait for the company he worked for to explain what really happened.
“We regret to announce that, despite the efforts of the medical team, he sadly passed away in hospital on Tuesday 13 December, after being in the intensive care unit for three days,” the statement said.
“His next of kin have been informed. We send our sincere condolences to his family, colleagues and friends during this difficult time.”
Kibue’s family in Kenya are hoping to receive more than just condolences, however, as they continue to wait for the company he worked for to explain what really happened.
“For us as a family – definitely, we want some answers. And if possible, we want for them to facilitate the return of the body,” Samuel Njau, John’s uncle, told Reuters, referring to the Qatari government and the company Kibue worked for.
That company, Al Sraiya Security Services, has not communicated with the family officially nor explained what happened, Njau said.
“It has been so unfortunate and devastating for us as a family,” Njau said.
The 24-year-old Kibue had been working in Qatar for a little over a year in the hopes of earning enough money to help his family.
His family shared pictures of a smiling Kibue, an Argentina fan, posing for pictures at the Argentina v Netherlands match. He fell to his death after that game, his uncle said.
Qatar has long been a popular destination for Kenyan migrant workers.
Last year, Malcolm Bidali, a Kenyan security guard in Qatar who blogged about poor working conditions there, was detained and accused of spreading disinformation before being released.
The World Cup organisers said they are investigating the circumstances leading to Kibue’s fall “as a matter of urgency” and would provide further information pending the outcome of the investigation.
“We will also ensure that his family receive all outstanding dues and monies owed,” the statement added.
Last week, Qatar launched a work safety investigation into the death of a Filipino following reports that the man died while working at a training site during the World Cup.
Journalists Khalid al-Misslam, Roger Pearce and Grant Wahl have also died while covering the World Cup, the first to be held in the Middle East.
The World Cup final will be staged at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday, with Argentina facing the winners of the semi-final between France and Morocco being played later on Wednesday.
In a compelling twist of football destiny, Davide Ancelotti is stepping into his own spotlight as he begins his first head coaching role at Brazilian club Botafogo—just months after parting ways with his legendary father, Carlo Ancelotti, at Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old has been appointed as Botafogo’s new manager, the club announced on Tuesday, following the sacking of Renato Paiva. Davide, who has spent the last decade working alongside his father at some of Europe’s top clubs—including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid—has signed a one-year deal with the Rio-based team.
This marks a significant milestone for the younger Ancelotti, whose career has long been shaped by his father’s influence, but who now faces the challenge of carving his own identity on the touchline.
The move comes shortly after both father and son departed Real Madrid at the end of last season, with Carlo taking over the Brazilian national team. Now, in a poetic alignment, father and son find themselves on different paths within Brazilian football—one leading the Seleção, the other steering the fortunes of a storied domestic club.
Botafogo’s decision to appoint Davide follows a controversial parting with Paiva, who was dismissed just days after their exit from the Club World Cup. Though he oversaw a stunning win over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain, a 1-0 extra-time loss to Palmeiras in the round of 16 proved to be his final act after just four months in charge.
As Davide Ancelotti begins this new chapter, all eyes will be on whether the son of one of football’s most decorated managers can step out from his father’s shadow—and perhaps, in time, build a legacy of his own.
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International Football
Players’ union, FIFPRO, wants 20-minute halftimes, more cooling breaks amid extreme heat
Global players’ union FIFPRO is exploring whether extending halftime to 20 minutes and introducing more frequent cooling breaks could better protect players from extreme heat.
Nine of the 16 host cities for the 2026 World Cup face conditions considered “extreme risk” for heat-related illness.
Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Guadalajara, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, Monterrey and Philadelphia are expected to face dangerous levels of heat and humidity, posing player safety concerns and fuelling calls for mandatory cooling aids or schedule changes.
FIFPRO’s heat risk assessments are based on wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT), a measure combining temperature, humidity, solar radiation and wind speed to estimate how environmental conditions affect the body’s ability to cool itself.
Under FIFPRO guidelines, a WBGT reading above 28 degrees Celsius indicates conditions in which matches should be postponed or rescheduled to protect players’ health.
By comparison, world soccer governing body FIFA’s own guidelines set the extreme risk threshold higher, at 32 degrees Celsius WBGT – but even by that standard, six of the nine cities are still projected to exceed safe limits.
Major League Soccer in the U.S. has a threshold of 29 degrees Celsius WBGT.
“Cooling breaks at the 30th minute and 75th minutes are quite traditional, but from a physiological point of view it does not make sense,” said Vincent Gouttebarge, FIFPRO’s Medical Director.
“Even if you ingest more than 200 millilitres of fluid, you already cannot take it all. So I would definitely like to see some project where we look at the efficacy of perhaps more frequent but shorter cooling breaks – every 15 minutes, rather than only one during each half.”
LONGER HALFTIMES
Gouttebarge also questioned whether the traditional 15-minute halftime interval is sufficient when matches are played in extreme heat.
“You can imagine that halftime of 15 minutes might not be enough in order to decrease the core temperature,” he said.
“It could be a halftime of 20 minutes which would be significant. That has been shown in the laboratory and FIFPRO, together with the national union in Portugal in August, we are going to test this kind of mitigation strategy.”
The urgency of stronger heat protocols became clear at this month’s Club World Cup where two matches — Benfica-Bayern Munich in Charlotte and Chelsea-Esperance in Philadelphia exceeded the WBGT threshold FIFPRO considers unsafe.
“According to our position, those games should have been postponed later that day or rescheduled,” Gouttebarge said.
FIFPRO officials acknowledged that FIFA has responded constructively during the tournament by lowering thresholds for mandatory cooling breaks and improving pitch-side hydration, but stressed that proactive planning is critical.
“FIFA have been quite responsive once the tournament was under way,” said Alex Phillips, FIFPRO General Secretary.
“They have actually modified how they’ve been dealing with heat during the matches based on FIFPRO’s input, which is credit to the work of the team. Obviously, it would have been better if that happened in advance, but it’s better that they have adapted.”
FIFPRO warned that the risks highlighted at the Club World Cup are a preview of what players could face at the expanded 2026 World Cup.
“This is not just affecting the Club World Cup, but also future tournaments either in the U.S. or elsewhere in the world,” said Alexander Bielefeld, FIFPRO Director of Policy & Strategic Relations.
“We need a better balance between commercial interests and the health and safety of players,” he added, referring to earlier kick-off times to accommodate European television audiences.
-Reuters
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Former Manchester United and England midfielder Paul Ince has been charged with drink-driving, police said on Monday.
Ince, who earned 53 caps for England and won two Premier League titles during his six years at United, has been released on bail and will appear in court on July 18.
“The incident involved a black Range Rover which had collided with the central reservation barrier. Officers attended the scene and arrested a 57-year-old man,” the Cheshire police said in a statement.
“Paul Ince, of Quarry Road, Neston, has since been charged with drink-driving.”
Reuters has contacted Ince’s representative for comment.
After retiring as a player, Ince led Milton Keynes Dons to a League Two title in 2007-08. He most recently managed Reading during 2022-23.
-Reuters
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