How Zambian soccer recovered from a plane crash that killed a golden generation
In 1993, Zambia's national soccer team had captivated the nation. For once, there was real, genuine hope that this young, exciting squad could qualify for its first World Cup in 1994.
To do so, the team would need to navigate the qualifying stages, where it would face other African teams battling for a position at the world's biggest sporting event, set to be hosted in the United States.
But, in pursuit of that dream, Zambia suffered a disaster that would shock the world and kill almost the entirety of its golden generation.
The Chipolopolo ('The Copper Bullets') had been due to play Senegal in a World Cup qualifier in Dakar, requiring a long and arduous plane journey up the continent of Africa.
Such was the economic state of Zambia at the time, the team would often fly in a DHC-5 Buffalo military plane which would need multiple stops in order to refuel.
The laborious route was set. The team would leave Zambia and fly to the Republic of Congo, then to Gabon, then to the Ivory Coast, before eventually landing in Senegal.
Tragically, the plane never made it to its final destination.
On April 27, 1993, the aircraft carrying the Zambian national team crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, shortly after leaving Gabon. A total of 18 players were killed, along with everyone else onboard.
As often is the case in aviation disasters, the cause of the crash was a mixture of both bad luck and a series of errors.
In his book 'Crash of the Buffalo' – which details the Zambian tragedy – author and former journalist Jay Mwamba said a fire in the left engine of the plane broke out shortly after leaving Gabon.
In a panic, he said, the pilots shut down the right engine by mistake, causing the aircraft to plunge into the water below, killing everyone onboard.
Before moving to the US to study, Mwamba had spent time following the team in his former role as a sports journalist. He knew many of the Zambian players personally and still remembers where he was when he heard about the tragedy.
In the week prior to the crash, Mwamba had spoken to Kalusha Bwalya – the standout star of the Zambian team. Bwalya was playing in Europe for Dutch side PSV Eindhoven at the time and was due to meet up with the national team after it had landed in Senegal.
It was Bwalya who rang Mwamba on that fateful morning to tell him the news.
'I instantly called my old newspaper in Zambia to find out more and they confirmed what I had heard. I started reeling off names (of players who might have been on the plane),' Mwamba told CNN Sports.
Mwamba said he experienced a delayed reaction to the tragedy, with the reality only hitting him when he was watching a soccer match between England and the Netherlands later that day.
'They held a minute of silence for the Zambian team and that's when I started crying. That's when it really hit me,' he added.
'You see some of my favorite players bowing their heads, holding a minute's silence. I was devastated.'
Back in Zambia, the news broke the hearts of a nation.
At that time, the nation's economy was struggling and the men's soccer team was one of the few things that offered any glimmer of hope. After the crash, it appeared that light had been extinguished for good.
The morning after the plane had crashed, debris and luggage from the plane started washing up on the shores of Gabon.
The 30 people onboard were eventually buried just outside Independence Stadium in Lusaka, Zambia, at a memorial site called the 'Heroes' Acre.'
Devastated by the disaster, Mwamba waited over 10 years before starting to research and write his book about the incident, which focuses heavily on the incredible comeback story of the national team.
'I was like everybody else. I was just shattered, just horrible, you know, just depressed for a year and I never thought of writing a book until a bit later, around 2007,' he said.
'I thought this has to be chronicled. I thought I could do a decent job since I knew a lot of the players. In fact, I knew one of the pilots.'
Over a few years, Mwamba set about interviewing people about the incident – including people who were supposed to be flying on the plane. He also spoke to those tasked with rebuilding a team that Zambia could be proud of.
He told CNN Sports that the decision to rebuild the team was made by those in charge of the national team as they flew to Gabon to retrieve the bodies.
The call then went out to Bwalya, asking if he would lead the team in its World Cup qualifying campaign. He accepted and trials were held to find the new generation of stars.
Incredibly, the new team gelled quickly and it beat Morocco 2-1 just 10 weeks after the disaster.
However, despite the positive start, the Chipolopolo came up just short of qualifying for the 1994 World Cup.
The team lost 1-0 in a rematch against the Atlas Lions in the final playoff game, bringing a gut-wrenching campaign to a heartbreaking conclusion.
Despite the defeat, the team returned home heroes and refocused ahead of the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Led by Bwalya again, the new squad went on to reach the AFCON final but once again fell just short of continental success, losing 2-1 to Nigeria.
It would be 18 years until Zambia found itself back with a shot at glory and it appeared destiny had an important role to play.
In 2012, the team went into the AFCON unfancied. Bwalya had since retired from playing and was now serving as the head of the Zambian soccer federation.
Much to some people's surprise, Bwalya had re-hired head coach Hervé Renard the year before, after the Frenchman had left the role in 2010. He was tasked with guiding the underdog side through what many expected to be a difficult tournament.
Incredibly, against all odds, Zambia reached the final of the tournament, which was to be played in Gabon, just a few miles away from where the crash occurred 19 years before.
Before the final, the team visited the shoreline where the plane had plunged into the ocean, laying flowers in an emotional ceremony.
Then, with the memory of that golden generation in their heads, the Zambian team beat Ivory Coast in the final, courtesy of a dramatic penalty shootout.
With the win, Zambia secured its first – and only – Africa Cup of Nations title.
'We wanted to honor the dead players and that strengthened us. Our first game was against Senegal and the team was on its way to Senegal for a match when the plane crashed,' Renard said at the time.
'The plane crashed in Gabon and we won the final in Gabon. It is a sign of destiny.'
Mwamba told CNN Sports that the memory of those who died in 1993 still lives on in the team today – despite many of the players not being born when the tragedy occurred.
Now, 32 years on, the Zambian men's team has another chance of reaching a World Cup in the US.
It currently sits third in its qualification group and has three games left including matches against two teams above it – Morocco and Tanzania – later this year.
Mwamba said the team has a 50/50 chance of securing a playoff place for the 2026 World Cup, which is set to be hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.
If Zambia is to reach the tournament, you feel it might be destiny playing a part once again.
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CNN
4 hours ago
- CNN
How Zambian soccer recovered from a plane crash that killed a golden generation
In 1993, Zambia's national soccer team had captivated the nation. For once, there was real, genuine hope that this young, exciting squad could qualify for its first World Cup in 1994. To do so, the team would need to navigate the qualifying stages, where it would face other African teams battling for a position at the world's biggest sporting event, set to be hosted in the United States. But, in pursuit of that dream, Zambia suffered a disaster that would shock the world and kill almost the entirety of its golden generation. The Chipolopolo ('The Copper Bullets') had been due to play Senegal in a World Cup qualifier in Dakar, requiring a long and arduous plane journey up the continent of Africa. Such was the economic state of Zambia at the time, the team would often fly in a DHC-5 Buffalo military plane which would need multiple stops in order to refuel. The laborious route was set. The team would leave Zambia and fly to the Republic of Congo, then to Gabon, then to the Ivory Coast, before eventually landing in Senegal. Tragically, the plane never made it to its final destination. On April 27, 1993, the aircraft carrying the Zambian national team crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, shortly after leaving Gabon. A total of 18 players were killed, along with everyone else onboard. As often is the case in aviation disasters, the cause of the crash was a mixture of both bad luck and a series of errors. In his book 'Crash of the Buffalo' – which details the Zambian tragedy – author and former journalist Jay Mwamba said a fire in the left engine of the plane broke out shortly after leaving Gabon. In a panic, he said, the pilots shut down the right engine by mistake, causing the aircraft to plunge into the water below, killing everyone onboard. Before moving to the US to study, Mwamba had spent time following the team in his former role as a sports journalist. He knew many of the Zambian players personally and still remembers where he was when he heard about the tragedy. In the week prior to the crash, Mwamba had spoken to Kalusha Bwalya – the standout star of the Zambian team. Bwalya was playing in Europe for Dutch side PSV Eindhoven at the time and was due to meet up with the national team after it had landed in Senegal. It was Bwalya who rang Mwamba on that fateful morning to tell him the news. 'I instantly called my old newspaper in Zambia to find out more and they confirmed what I had heard. I started reeling off names (of players who might have been on the plane),' Mwamba told CNN Sports. Mwamba said he experienced a delayed reaction to the tragedy, with the reality only hitting him when he was watching a soccer match between England and the Netherlands later that day. 'They held a minute of silence for the Zambian team and that's when I started crying. That's when it really hit me,' he added. 'You see some of my favorite players bowing their heads, holding a minute's silence. I was devastated.' Back in Zambia, the news broke the hearts of a nation. At that time, the nation's economy was struggling and the men's soccer team was one of the few things that offered any glimmer of hope. After the crash, it appeared that light had been extinguished for good. The morning after the plane had crashed, debris and luggage from the plane started washing up on the shores of Gabon. The 30 people onboard were eventually buried just outside Independence Stadium in Lusaka, Zambia, at a memorial site called the 'Heroes' Acre.' Devastated by the disaster, Mwamba waited over 10 years before starting to research and write his book about the incident, which focuses heavily on the incredible comeback story of the national team. 'I was like everybody else. I was just shattered, just horrible, you know, just depressed for a year and I never thought of writing a book until a bit later, around 2007,' he said. 'I thought this has to be chronicled. I thought I could do a decent job since I knew a lot of the players. In fact, I knew one of the pilots.' Over a few years, Mwamba set about interviewing people about the incident – including people who were supposed to be flying on the plane. He also spoke to those tasked with rebuilding a team that Zambia could be proud of. He told CNN Sports that the decision to rebuild the team was made by those in charge of the national team as they flew to Gabon to retrieve the bodies. The call then went out to Bwalya, asking if he would lead the team in its World Cup qualifying campaign. He accepted and trials were held to find the new generation of stars. Incredibly, the new team gelled quickly and it beat Morocco 2-1 just 10 weeks after the disaster. However, despite the positive start, the Chipolopolo came up just short of qualifying for the 1994 World Cup. The team lost 1-0 in a rematch against the Atlas Lions in the final playoff game, bringing a gut-wrenching campaign to a heartbreaking conclusion. Despite the defeat, the team returned home heroes and refocused ahead of the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Led by Bwalya again, the new squad went on to reach the AFCON final but once again fell just short of continental success, losing 2-1 to Nigeria. It would be 18 years until Zambia found itself back with a shot at glory and it appeared destiny had an important role to play. In 2012, the team went into the AFCON unfancied. Bwalya had since retired from playing and was now serving as the head of the Zambian soccer federation. Much to some people's surprise, Bwalya had re-hired head coach Hervé Renard the year before, after the Frenchman had left the role in 2010. He was tasked with guiding the underdog side through what many expected to be a difficult tournament. Incredibly, against all odds, Zambia reached the final of the tournament, which was to be played in Gabon, just a few miles away from where the crash occurred 19 years before. Before the final, the team visited the shoreline where the plane had plunged into the ocean, laying flowers in an emotional ceremony. Then, with the memory of that golden generation in their heads, the Zambian team beat Ivory Coast in the final, courtesy of a dramatic penalty shootout. With the win, Zambia secured its first – and only – Africa Cup of Nations title. 'We wanted to honor the dead players and that strengthened us. Our first game was against Senegal and the team was on its way to Senegal for a match when the plane crashed,' Renard said at the time. 'The plane crashed in Gabon and we won the final in Gabon. It is a sign of destiny.' Mwamba told CNN Sports that the memory of those who died in 1993 still lives on in the team today – despite many of the players not being born when the tragedy occurred. Now, 32 years on, the Zambian men's team has another chance of reaching a World Cup in the US. It currently sits third in its qualification group and has three games left including matches against two teams above it – Morocco and Tanzania – later this year. Mwamba said the team has a 50/50 chance of securing a playoff place for the 2026 World Cup, which is set to be hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico. If Zambia is to reach the tournament, you feel it might be destiny playing a part once again.
CNN
5 hours ago
- CNN
How Zambian soccer recovered from a plane crash that killed a golden generation
In 1993, Zambia's national soccer team had captivated the nation. For once, there was real, genuine hope that this young, exciting squad could qualify for its first World Cup in 1994. To do so, the team would need to navigate the qualifying stages, where it would face other African teams battling for a position at the world's biggest sporting event, set to be hosted in the United States. But, in pursuit of that dream, Zambia suffered a disaster that would shock the world and kill almost the entirety of its golden generation. The Chipolopolo ('The Copper Bullets') had been due to play Senegal in a World Cup qualifier in Dakar, requiring a long and arduous plane journey up the continent of Africa. Such was the economic state of Zambia at the time, the team would often fly in a DHC-5 Buffalo military plane which would need multiple stops in order to refuel. The laborious route was set. The team would leave Zambia and fly to the Republic of Congo, then to Gabon, then to the Ivory Coast, before eventually landing in Senegal. Tragically, the plane never made it to its final destination. On April 27, 1993, the aircraft carrying the Zambian national team crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, shortly after leaving Gabon. A total of 18 players were killed, along with everyone else onboard. As often is the case in aviation disasters, the cause of the crash was a mixture of both bad luck and a series of errors. In his book 'Crash of the Buffalo' – which details the Zambian tragedy – author and former journalist Jay Mwamba said a fire in the left engine of the plane broke out shortly after leaving Gabon. In a panic, he said, the pilots shut down the right engine by mistake, causing the aircraft to plunge into the water below, killing everyone onboard. Before moving to the US to study, Mwamba had spent time following the team in his former role as a sports journalist. He knew many of the Zambian players personally and still remembers where he was when he heard about the tragedy. In the week prior to the crash, Mwamba had spoken to Kalusha Bwalya – the standout star of the Zambian team. Bwalya was playing in Europe for Dutch side PSV Eindhoven at the time and was due to meet up with the national team after it had landed in Senegal. It was Bwalya who rang Mwamba on that fateful morning to tell him the news. 'I instantly called my old newspaper in Zambia to find out more and they confirmed what I had heard. I started reeling off names (of players who might have been on the plane),' Mwamba told CNN Sports. Mwamba said he experienced a delayed reaction to the tragedy, with the reality only hitting him when he was watching a soccer match between England and the Netherlands later that day. 'They held a minute of silence for the Zambian team and that's when I started crying. That's when it really hit me,' he added. 'You see some of my favorite players bowing their heads, holding a minute's silence. I was devastated.' Back in Zambia, the news broke the hearts of a nation. At that time, the nation's economy was struggling and the men's soccer team was one of the few things that offered any glimmer of hope. After the crash, it appeared that light had been extinguished for good. The morning after the plane had crashed, debris and luggage from the plane started washing up on the shores of Gabon. The 30 people onboard were eventually buried just outside Independence Stadium in Lusaka, Zambia, at a memorial site called the 'Heroes' Acre.' Devastated by the disaster, Mwamba waited over 10 years before starting to research and write his book about the incident, which focuses heavily on the incredible comeback story of the national team. 'I was like everybody else. I was just shattered, just horrible, you know, just depressed for a year and I never thought of writing a book until a bit later, around 2007,' he said. 'I thought this has to be chronicled. I thought I could do a decent job since I knew a lot of the players. In fact, I knew one of the pilots.' Over a few years, Mwamba set about interviewing people about the incident – including people who were supposed to be flying on the plane. He also spoke to those tasked with rebuilding a team that Zambia could be proud of. He told CNN Sports that the decision to rebuild the team was made by those in charge of the national team as they flew to Gabon to retrieve the bodies. The call then went out to Bwalya, asking if he would lead the team in its World Cup qualifying campaign. He accepted and trials were held to find the new generation of stars. Incredibly, the new team gelled quickly and it beat Morocco 2-1 just 10 weeks after the disaster. However, despite the positive start, the Chipolopolo came up just short of qualifying for the 1994 World Cup. The team lost 1-0 in a rematch against the Atlas Lions in the final playoff game, bringing a gut-wrenching campaign to a heartbreaking conclusion. Despite the defeat, the team returned home heroes and refocused ahead of the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Led by Bwalya again, the new squad went on to reach the AFCON final but once again fell just short of continental success, losing 2-1 to Nigeria. It would be 18 years until Zambia found itself back with a shot at glory and it appeared destiny had an important role to play. In 2012, the team went into the AFCON unfancied. Bwalya had since retired from playing and was now serving as the head of the Zambian soccer federation. Much to some people's surprise, Bwalya had re-hired head coach Hervé Renard the year before, after the Frenchman had left the role in 2010. He was tasked with guiding the underdog side through what many expected to be a difficult tournament. Incredibly, against all odds, Zambia reached the final of the tournament, which was to be played in Gabon, just a few miles away from where the crash occurred 19 years before. Before the final, the team visited the shoreline where the plane had plunged into the ocean, laying flowers in an emotional ceremony. Then, with the memory of that golden generation in their heads, the Zambian team beat Ivory Coast in the final, courtesy of a dramatic penalty shootout. With the win, Zambia secured its first – and only – Africa Cup of Nations title. 'We wanted to honor the dead players and that strengthened us. Our first game was against Senegal and the team was on its way to Senegal for a match when the plane crashed,' Renard said at the time. 'The plane crashed in Gabon and we won the final in Gabon. It is a sign of destiny.' Mwamba told CNN Sports that the memory of those who died in 1993 still lives on in the team today – despite many of the players not being born when the tragedy occurred. Now, 32 years on, the Zambian men's team has another chance of reaching a World Cup in the US. It currently sits third in its qualification group and has three games left including matches against two teams above it – Morocco and Tanzania – later this year. Mwamba said the team has a 50/50 chance of securing a playoff place for the 2026 World Cup, which is set to be hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico. If Zambia is to reach the tournament, you feel it might be destiny playing a part once again.
Washington Post
5 hours ago
- Washington Post
Olympic president Kirsty Coventry starts work with strong IOC and challenges for Los Angeles Games
GENEVA — The world Kirsty Coventry walks into Monday as the International Olympic Committee's first female and first African president is already very different to the one she was elected in three months ago. Take Los Angeles, host of the next Summer Games that is the public face and financial foundation of most Olympic sports. The city described last week as a 'trash heap' by U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to welcome teams from more than 200 nations in July 2028. Most of the 11,000 athletes and thousands more coaches and officials who will take part in the LA Olympics will have seen images of military being deployed against the wishes of city and state leaders. A growing number of those athletes' home countries face being on a Trump-directed travel ban list — including Coventry's home Zimbabwe — though Olympic participants are promised exemptions to come to the U.S. Several players from Senegal's women's basketball team were denied visas for a training trip to the U.S., the country's prime minister said. A first face-to-face meeting with Trump is a priority for the new IOC president, perhaps at a sports event. Welcome to Olympic diplomacy, the outgoing IOC president Thomas Bach could reasonably comment to his political protégé Coventry. The six Olympic Games of Bach's 12 years were rocked by Russian doping scandals and military aggression, Korean nuclear tensions , a global health crisis and corruption-fueled Brazilian chaos . Still, Coventry inherits an IOC with a solid reputation and finances after a widely praised 2024 Paris Olympics, plus a slate of summer and winter hosts for the next decade . Risks and challenges ahead are clear to see. For the two-time Olympic champion swimmer's first full day as president Tuesday she has invited the 109-strong IOC membership to closed-doors meetings about its future under the banner 'Pause and Reflect.' 'The way in which I like to lead is with collaboration,' said Coventry, who was sports minister in Zimbabwe for the past seven years, told reporters Thursday. Many, if not most, members want more say in how the IOC makes decisions after nearly 12 years of Bach's tight executive control. It was a theme in manifestos by the other election candidates , and the runner-up in March, IOC vice president Juan Antonio Samaranch , will lead one of the sessions. 'I like people to say: 'Yes, I had a say and this was the direction that we went,'' Coventry said. 'That way, you get really authentic buy-in.' In an in-house IOC interview, Coventry also described how she wanted to be perceived: 'She never changed. Always humble, always approachable.' That could mean more member input, if not an open and contested vote, to decide the 2036 Olympics host. Coventry's win was widely seen as positive for the ambitions of India, and its richest family, to host the Summer Games that will follow Los Angeles in 2028 and Brisbane in 2032. Nita Ambani, the philanthropist wife of industrialist Mukesh Ambani, has been an IOC member since 2016 and helped promote India's Olympic bid in Paris last year. She and Coventry are seen as being close, and the 2036 hosting award is among the biggest decisions pending. 'It is an open question,' Coventry told reporters Thursday. 'For me as a president I need to be able to remain neutral.' Qatar is bidding for the Summer Games for a fourth time and Saudi Arabia also is interested. A regional Middle East bid could be a political and logistical solution. A Bach legacy is the policy of fast-tracking well-connected bidders into exclusive negotiations toward a rubber-stamp vote by IOC members. At some point in Coventry's presidency, Russia could possibly return fully to the Olympic family. It is unclear exactly when less than eight months before the 2026 Winter Games opening ceremony in Milan. Russian athletes have faced a wider blanket ban in winter sports than summer ones during the military invasion of Ukraine. Even neutral status for individual Russians to compete looks elusive. Vladimir Putin offered 'sincere congratulations' on Coventry's election win, with the Kremlin praising her 'high authority in the sporting world.' However, there seems little scope for the IOC to lift its formal suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee imposed in 2023 because of a territorial grab in sports administration. Four regional sports bodies in eastern Ukraine were taken under Russian control. Coventry said she will ask a task force to review IOC policy relating to athletes from countries involved in wars and conflicts. The first Summer Games under a female presidency will be the first with a majority of athlete quota places for women. Another task force is promised to look at gender eligibility issues, after the turmoil around women's boxing and two gold medalists in Paris. The new World Boxing governing body said last month it will introduce mandatory sex testing. Coventry often states the importance of 'Olympic Values,' which include gender parity, inclusion and inspiring young people through sports. 'That is something that we can never, never, never compromise. And we have to be proud of that.' The top-tier Olympic sponsor program might have peaked in Paris with 15 partners earning the IOC more than $1.6 billion in cash and services over the past two years. The sponsor slate is down to 11 after all three Japanese sponsors and US tech firm Intel did not renew, though a major new backer from India is all-but promised. Total revenue was $7.7 billion for 2021-24, including $3.25 billion of broadcasting revenue in 2024. It helps fund the Olympic Channel media operation in Madrid and about 700 staff in Lausanne. Salary and staff costs topped $250 million last year. Though the future broadcasting landscape is hard to predict, the IOC has said $7.4 billion already is secured through 2028, and $4 billion for the 2033-36 commercial cycle. That sum was topped up in March with a foundational $3 billion deal. NBC renewed for two more Olympics through the 2034 Salt Lake City Winter Games and the 2036 Summer Games that look destined for Asia. The IOC also has a 12-year deal with Saudi Arabia through 2036 to host a video gaming Esports Olympics, though the launch is delayed until at least 2027. ___ AP Olympics:
