Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, as well as defender Tapelo Xoki, have been hospitalised after a road traffic incident, which took place on Sunday night after a 3-0 win over Chippa United.
According to a club statement from Orlando Pirates, Ouaddou and five others were assisting at a road traffic incident while on their way home after facing Chippa. They were then struck by another vehicle while out at the scene.
A source close to the player confirmed to ESPN that Xoki was among those hurt and would also require a scan to the knee, but said that the implications of the accident for him were not as severe as they could have been. Pirates have not explicitly named Xoki as one of the five hurt alongside Ouaddou in their communications.
“Orlando Pirates Football Club can confirm that Head Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou and five members of the club’s staff were involved in a road traffic incident on Sunday night,” Pirates posted on the club website on Tuesday morning.
“The incident occurred on the R21 highway as the team returned from Gqeberha, following their hard-fought 3-0 victory against Chippa United. Upon encountering a collision between two vehicles, Coach Ouaddou and several staff members disembarked from the team bus to assist those involved.
“Tragically, while attending to the scene, a Nissan NP200 vehicle collided with the stationary vehicles, striking the group and causing serious injuries.
“Coach Ouaddou, along with the five affected staff members, were immediately transported to hospital, where they are currently receiving medical care. The Club is in close contact with the medical team and will provide updates on their recovery in due course.
“At this stage, our priority is the health and wellbeing of our colleagues. The Club has made arrangements to ensure that the affected individuals and their families receive all the necessary support during this difficult time.
“We ask for privacy and respect for those involved as they focus on recovery. Further updates will be communicated when appropriate.”
Moroccan coach Ouaddou — who played for Fulham from 2001-2005 and other prominent European clubs, such as Olympiacos and Rennes — is in his first season at Orlando Pirates.
He was announced in June as the successor to José Riveiro following an impressive stint at another South African club, Marumo Gallants. The Spaniard had taken over the reins at Al Ahly ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup, but was recently sacked.
His successor, Ouaddou, struggled to settle in at Orlando Pirates at first, losing his first two Premiership games but has now got the team back to winning ways with maximum points from the last three games.
Pirates have also made the MTN8 final, which they will play against Stellenbosch FC in their next match on September 13. The game will take place at Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga.
ESPN
