A former referee and football analyst, Ahmet Cakar, has claimed that Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen may be battling an illness that could affect him for the rest of his life.
Cakar, a Turkish doctor and ex-FIFA referee who now works as a football pundit, made the statement during a programme on Beyaz TV. He alleged that Turkish club Galatasaray were aware of Osimhen’s condition, although he did not name the illness.
“I received information from the Ministry of Health about Victor Osimhen’s illness,” Cakar said, according to GsGazette. “As a sportsman and father of two, I do not want to discuss his illness publicly. I spoke with Galatasaray’s team doctor, Yener İnce, who told me that the information I had was incorrect. But I believe Osimhen’s illness will affect him for the rest of his life.”
He added that the Turkish Ministry of Health and Galatasaray officials were aware of the alleged situation.
Despite his reputation as one of the top referees of his time, recognised by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS), Cakar is also known for making controversial and unfounded claims. In the past, he has said that Saddam Hussein was still alive and that aliens were protecting former US President Barack Obama.
While Osimhen has had his share of injuries during his career, there has been no evidence or report suggesting he suffers from any illness. Neither Osimhen nor Galatasaray have made any public statement regarding Cakar’s claim.