{"id":1417,"date":"2017-03-24T22:59:38","date_gmt":"2017-03-24T22:59:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fittedin.org\/fittedin\/?p=1417"},"modified":"2020-03-15T00:44:37","modified_gmt":"2020-03-15T00:44:37","slug":"supporting-emmy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fittedin.org\/fittedinwp\/2017\/03\/24\/supporting-emmy\/","title":{"rendered":"Supporting Emmy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Satish Sekar \u00a9 Satish Sekar (March 23rd<\/sup> 2017)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Launched<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

During the recently concluded Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations, Empower-Sport<\/strong> and The<\/strong> Fitted-In Project<\/strong> took A Sporting Chance of After-care<\/strong> to Zambia. We highlighted the cases of Robins Kilambe, Satchmo Chakawa, Changwe Kalale and Nyambe Mulenga, and former Chipolopolo captain Emmy Musonda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They had been excluded from the tournament. Zambia\u2019s Sports Ministry and FAZ took up our project, and some tickets were provided. The Football and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (FAWUZ) under the auspices of former Chipolopolo attacker, Linos Chalwe, and author of the definitive book on Zambian legend Godfrey Ucar Chitalu, Jerry Muchimba, took up the cause too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emmy Musonda\u2019s story is a tough one to hear. He was an elite athlete, at the peak of fitness. He captained his country to third place at the Africa Cup of Nations in 1982, the last time the Black Stars won the tournament, and at the celebration of CAF\u2019s quarter century in Egypt a year later. A decade later Musonda\u2019s playing career with Zambia\u2019s Green Buffaloes (a Zambian Army sponsored team) had ended. He went into coaching. The second job he secured would be his last in football.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An ill advised over-taking manoeuvre resulted in a crash, injuring some players and Musonda. Emmy was badly hurt. Brain-damaged, his fledgling career and ability to support himself, especially through football, was over. Musonda relies on the charity of friends and well-wishers. The accident happened just before the biggest catastrophe ever faced by Zambian football, the Gabon Plane Crash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Salutary Tale<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Musonda, and his immense football abilities, was lost to football, but he still had a wealth of memories and knowledge. He wants to impart that to young players. A Sporting Chance of After-care \u2013 Zambia<\/strong> was adapted. Musonda is an integral part of it. He suffered from diabetes, resulting in his left leg having to be amputated above the knee in 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zambia, football, especially African football, owes him far better than he has received. He lives in a bad area of Lusaka, one of the few things he received after the crash. Musonda\u2019s medical needs have yet to be met. His metal crutches buckled \u2013 he now uses unsuitable wooden ones. We took up his cause last year, and approached FIFPRO, the international organisation for professional footballers. FAWUZ also took up Musonda\u2019s cause. They are working together now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inspiration<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Emmy Musonda deserves to feel football\u2019s love. Even after all he has been through he wants to give back to football. He will be an integral part of A Sporting Chance of<\/strong> After-care<\/strong> \u2013 Zambia<\/strong> by sharing his story to young players and in schools on the need to look after themselves and plan for the future. Emmy Musonda had it all, but through no fault of his own, it was taken away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among those to wish the Zambian legend well, and appreciate the legendary defender  is Under-20 team boss and playing colleague, Beston Chambeshi (see and listen to his message here below) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=AKPLAJNULD0).<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cameroon and South Africa\u2019s equivalent Ashu Cyprian Besong and Thabo Senong also sent him messages of support, as did survivor of the December 2014 crash Nyambe Mulenga.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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