translated from Spanish: Bena Tshadi, the football team that was killed by lightning in Africa

Africa.- The members of a football team from the Democratic Republic of the Congo called Bena Tshadi, died suddenly after lightning struck them; an event that gave rise to speculation about possible witchcraft. According to the Argentine newspaper La Nación, the extraordinary event occurred in 1998, when Africa was in a civil war.Between shootings, clashes, ethnic killings and political chaos, the only thing that provided a peaceful atmosphere to what was seen in the streets was football. However, that was about to change. In October 1998, in the Kasai region, a match was held between Bena Tshadi (home) and Basanga (away), two teams from the Congolese first division. During the first half, when the game was tied at one goal and a torrential rain was falling, lightning struck the playing field, which caused the death of the entire team. Read more: Families who attended back-to-school event in Georgia test positive for Covid-19 “Lightning killed 11 young players between the ages of 20 and 35 who were playing a football match. Basanga’s athletes curiously emerged unscathed from the catastrophe,” wrote local media outlet L’Avenir de Kinshasa.La difference in luck between Bena Tshadi and Basanga sparked all sorts of doubts. The visiting team was accused of witchcraft by the locals, who culturally were deeply rooted in superstitions and supernatural practices by witches and healers. Football officials began to say that some teams had witches in the squad, so witchcraft was banned in football. Thousands of complaints of black magic, extraordinary powers, evocation of spirits, etc., were filed. Finally, the country’s Football Federation revealed through a statement that the players who died had aluminum plugs in their guayos and this facilitated the conductivity of the discharge on their bodies. Opponents who suffered no consequences wore plastic stoppers. Via: Twitter @millardayo Video. Girl breaks down in tears upon seeing The Lion King for the first time

Original source in Spanish