World Of Football: Crocodile Tears

Oct 12 2008 By Kevin Mcallion

A ZIMBABWEAN player has died after his team tried to cleanse themselves of evil spirits in the crocodile-infested Zambezi river.

Midlands Portland Cement took 16 of their stars for a lucky dip before the Southern Division clash with Sao Paolo last week.

But it soon turned to disaster as one unnamed player failed to re-emerge from the dangerous waters.

Superstitious rituals to combat witchcraft - known as juju - are common in African football but rarely result in tragedy.

Zimbabwean commentator Farayi Mungazi said: "This has to be the worst case because someone actually died."