HARARE football giants Caps United’s captain, Hardlife Zvirekwi was involved in an horrific accident, which crushed his arm leading to the amputation of his hand yesterday.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
His hand was amputated from the wrist and, according to the doctors, he will miss the first half of the 2018 Castle Lager Premiership season.
Club chief executive Cuthbert Chitima said: “His fingers and palm have been amputated. The doctors said he can start playing during the second half of the season. That’s the information we have at the moment.”
Team manager, Shakespear Chinogwenya said Zvirekwi was coming from a friend’s birthday celebration, where he was one of the invited guests, when the accident occurred. The Caps United inspirational captain, who was alone in his vehicle is said to have failed to negotiate a curve near East 24 in Harare on his way home resulting in his car rolling several times.
“It’s really sad. A huge blow for us, but we thank God that he is alive. He failed to negotiate a curve near East 24 when he was coming from a party. He was alone in the vehicle and he suffered a fractured hand. What is most saddening is the fact that yesterday, he was outstanding at training,” Chinogwenya said.
Zvirekwi led Caps United to their first championship since 2005 in 2016. He also shepherded the squad to a historic group stage of the African Champions League, where they floored seasoned African Champions TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zamalek of Egypt.
And after finishing in fifth place last season largely due to a tight schedule that saw them participating in both the domestic league and the African Champions League, Caps United coach Lloyd Chitembwe had declared he wants to reclaim the league title this term.
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The accident evokes memories of the tragedy that befell Caps United in March 2004, when they lost three star players — Blessing Makunike, Shingi Arlon and Gary Mashoko, with two of the club’s fans in a road accident.
In March 2001, then Caps United coach — Steve Kwashi, the first coach to lead them to their first league title in post-independence Zimbabwe in 1996, suffered head injuries in a car crash that eventually ended his coaching career.
