Sierra Leone striker Mohamed Buya Turay has claimed the leg injury that caused him to miss the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying defeat to Benin last week was caused by “juju”.
Buya, who helped club side Djurgarden win the Swedish League earlier this month having finished as top scorer, was forced to miss out against Benin after sustaining the mystery injury during his side’s training camp after playing in the draw with Lesotho.
“I had no toe injury when I played against Lesotho because no one stepped on me or kicked me,” he told the BBC.
“But I started feeling pain on my toe when I returned to the hotel where the team were camped the following day. The pain got worsened when we arrived at training ground, it extended to the whole foot and leg and I then decided to call some of my family members who took me to a woman native doctor.
“The native doctor told me that the cause of toe injury was because I stepped on a spiritual object in Leone Stars camp, put there for me by a person who wanted me to get elephantiasis thereby destroying my career. She further told me that if I had gone to the hospital for treatment or had used conventional medicine to try and heal the toe that would have ended my career.”
Buya had earlier claimed in a social media post that the perpetrator was motivated by jealousy at his Golden Boot victory.
“That’s what created the tension, hatred and jealousy,” he wrote on Facebook. “I love my country, but how can y’all conieve [sic] to make my life miserable?��Is it a crime for me to put my countries [sic] flag on the map?”
The 24-year-old is on loan to Djurgarden from Belgian club Saint-Truidense but admitted he is now considering his international future.
“It’s not easy for me for now. Right now I’m not thinking about whether or not to play for Leone Stars, I’ll think about it later when I put behind my back what has happened with me,” he said.
