Boboye: How Car Accident Denied Me Gold Medal At Atlanta Olympics

Akwa United head coach Kennedy Boboye has revealed how a car accident deprived him the chance to win a gold medal alongside the likes of Nwankwo Kanu, Austin Okocha and Daniel Amokachi, at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic games, Completesports.com reports.

Boboye, 42, featured in some of the games during the Olympic qualifiers but did not make the final squad to the competition.

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The U-23 Eagles fondly known as “Dream Team” under Dutch coach Johannes Bonfrere, eventually went on to win the gold after beating Argentina 3-2 in the final.

In the semi-final, the team came from 3-1 down to shock a star-studded Brazilian side 4-2, with Kanu grabbing a brace and also scoring a golden goal.

Reflecting on the missed opportunity of securing an Olympic gold medal, Boboye said: “I played in all the qualifiers for ’96 Olympics except the last game because of car accident injuries. I didn’t recover on time to make the squad to Atlanta and that ruled me out of having an Olympic gold medal around my neck. That’s my biggest regret ever. I thank God for life though,” he wrote on his Twitter handle.

Boboye started his professional playing career as a striker for Sharks F.C. (now Rivers United F.C. ) in 1990 and played in the club for three seasons. 

In 1993 after his contract had expired with Sharks F.C. Boboye joined Udoji United F.C. and played shortly till 1994.

He signed for Saint-Denis Saint-Leu football club, Paris between 1996 and 1997. He was subsequently signed in Fortuna Düsseldorf in 1997 to 1998 and was given on free transfer from Fortuna Düsseldorf to KFC Uerdingen 05 in 1998.

After Boboye’s retirement from playing football he began coaching, he was appointed the assistant coach of Sharks F.C. in 2009 till his contract ended in 2012.

On 3 November 2016 he was unveiled as the new coach of Plateau United F.C. replacing Zachary Baraje who had resigned and led Plateau United to win their first ever league title.

By James Agberebi 

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