Both 23,Sudanese football,volleyball stars may never play again

Both 23 years old,AlFatih and Ahamed were at German Bakery on Saturday evening with their friend Keke,an Ethiopian national who is also recovering from his injuries now. AlFatih,called “master striker” by his fellow Sudanese players,studies in Poona College while Ahamad is a second-year B.Sc student at Wadia College.

“I rushed to the Inlaks and Budrani Hospital yesterday night after getting to know that Ahamed was injured. Yesterday his one leg was amputated and today the other one too. We are told that he is in coma… all our friends are praying for him,” said Hagra Ali,a classmate of Ahamed,who remembers him as a cheerful person,both on and off the volleyball field.

German Bakery is a regular hangout for the closely knit 400-member Sudanese community in the city. “Anas was sitting with Amjad in the bakery at the time of the blast. We got to know about the incident from our friends. The doctors now say he might not be able to play football again,” said Yassir Mohd Hag,AlFatih’s friend who managed to meet him after the blasts.

While one of Anas’s legs is fractured,the other one is in a bad condition. “Besides,he has got 72 per cent burns,with third-degree burns on his legs. They have planned an angiography of the right leg and depending upon the result,the decision to amputate the leg or to try for non-invasive treament would be taken,” he said.

Ahamed came to Pune two years ago,while AlFatih came a year ago. Mohammed Alnour,the captain of the Sudanese football team in Pune,remembers AlFatih as the player who won their team the annual football championship held among students of different nationalities in 2009. “I got the opportunity to hold the cup because of him. He was awarded best player,” said Alnour.

Ahamed’s parents are settled in Oman and AlFatih’s in Qatar. “Till yesterday,in our language,we would call this city Poona Al Hanoona,meaning lovely Pune,” said Hag. “While our love for Pune will never lessen,the tag might need serious thinking.”