The Zambian Football Association has confirmed the tragic news of the passing of Norin Betani, a 24-year-old women’s footballer, who was part of the provisional squad for the Olympics 2024 qualifying match.
Betani passed away on Wednesday, just days before the match, which was scheduled to take place in Ghana.
The cause of her death is yet to be disclosed.
She was expected to travel with the team to Ghana for the match at the Accra Sports Stadium on Friday.
According to a statement released by the Zambian FA, Betani was taken to the nearest hospital to the team camp, Kanyama Level One Hospital, where she received medical attention.
The FAZ secretariat staff, family members, and her club (Indeni Roses) worked closely during the player’s hospitalization.
However, she was transferred to the University Teaching Hospital on Monday, where she was under medical care until her demise.
The FAZ engaged the family at every stage and expressed their deepest condolences to the family and friends of the player.
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The news of Betani’s passing has been met with an outpouring of grief and condolences from football fans worldwide.
Tributes and messages of sympathy have flooded social media, with many expressing shock and disbelief at the sudden loss of such a young and talented player.
Zambia had previously qualified for the 2020 Olympics after beating Cameroon in the final round of qualifiers.
Despite losing 10-3 to the Netherlands in their Olympic debut, they were looking to qualify for the Olympics for a second time.
However, the team will now have to regroup and mourn the loss of their teammate as they move forward in their preparations.
