Afrcian Footballer Loses sight in right eye

Guinea international Ousmane Bangoura has lost the sight in his right eye after he was kicked in the face during a Chinese club match.

The 26-year-old Shenyang Ginde midfielder suffered a ruptured eyeball in a clash with Lu Gang of Qingdao Zhongneng earlier this month.

After an unsuccessful initial operation in Shenyang, Bangoura was transferred to a Beijing hospital where doctors attempted to save his eyesight in a three-hour operation.

The eye was preserved but his vision has been lost.

Lu Gang expressed regret over the incident. "I would like to say sorry to him a million times. I dare not ask him to forgive me because I cannot forgive myself in the first place, but I want to do something to redeem my mistake," he said.

He added that he would organise a charity match for Bangoura and compensate him "even without a court order."

Bangoura –formerly of Belgian club Charleroi - played a leading role in Guinea's march to the quarter-finals of the African Nations Cup earlier this year.

With his career effectively over, Bangoura's family are reportedly preparing a civil suit against Lu.

Bangoura's medical treatment had been covered by Shenyang Ginde, but future compensation would need to be negotiated between the two parties.

"We never wanted to see this happen," a club official said.

"We haven't properly considered the next step

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