I was hit by heat stroke, says referee Sikazwe

The Zambian referee who was in charge of the Tunisia vs Mali game claims he was hit by heat stroke and didn’t know what he was doing again. It will be recalled that Janny Sikazwe ended the game 13 seconds before the 90 minutes were up, having previously blown for full-time five minutes early, before […]

The Zambian referee who was in charge of the Tunisia vs Mali game claims he was hit by heat stroke and didn’t know what he was doing again.

It will be recalled that Janny Sikazwe ended the game 13 seconds before the 90 minutes were up, having previously blown for full-time five minutes early, before checking the timing and restarting the game.

“I was lucky I didn’t go into a coma. So after they told me that it was heat stroke, I just heard about heat stroke and I googled what it is, whatever I found is exactly what was happening to me, especially in the second half. 

“I started getting confused and reached a point where I could not hear anyone. I reached a point where I could hear some words like someone was communicating with me and people were telling me that I would end the match. It was a very strange situation. 

“I have seen people going for duty and coming back in a casket and I was very close to coming back like that and it would have been a very different story. I don’t know how many vehicles would have been lined up here to receive my casket. 

“That would have been the story of the day but we thank God that things happened the other way. God saved me. Today people are saying negative things about me, let it be, as I speak to you like this. We count it a blessing. I’m proud to come back like this talking to you,” he said. 

Sikazwe is set to have some weeks break before returning to continental duties in the CAF Confederation Cup in mid February.