Igiraneza Aimé Guéric, midfielder for Les Guêpiers du Lac, a second division club in Burundi, tragically passed away after a game against LLB Amasipiri Never Give Up. According to witnesses at the scene, the death was caused by a coin that the player swallowed on the pitch.
The match, played at the Ngaraga National Technical Center on Saturday, December 20, was marked by the sudden death of Igiraneza Aimé Guéric, who unexpectedly collapsed during the match.
Despite the quick intervention of medical teams, the player died on the way to the hospital. The Burundi Football Federation immediately issued a statement offering condolences to the athlete’s family and his club, Les Guêpiers du Lac, but without detailing the cause of death.
However, several reports from people present at the stadium indicate that the cause was a coin that the midfielder had in his mouth and that he accidentally swallowed.
According to African Public Radio, the currency would be a Grigrian amulet associated with witchcraft rituals. Although the player has denied resorting to such practices in previous interviews, the use of marabouts and superstitious objects continues to be a persistent habit in Burundian football.
This phenomenon, which represents a significant financial burden for clubs and players with few resources, appears to have been the cause of the death of Igiraneza Aimé Guéric. The case is generating a strong alert in public opinion and in the country’s football community, which demands complete clarification about what happened.
So far, the federation has not yet provided further details about the investigation.
