How many times have you seen a player apply the sign of the cross before a penalty-kick? A zillion times, right? Now, usually religious and/or spiritual references aren’t frowned upon by opposing players, but in the Congo, using any form of spiritual blessings or spells to disrupt the oppositions flow of play is deemed downright nasty. It’s like calling up a priest from the press box and asking him to bless your team during halftime. It’s just not cool.

Nyuki club was losing to local rivals Socozaki on Sunday when Nyuki’s goalkeeper advanced up the field and tried to use “fetishist” spells to turn the tide of the match, Okapi said, without giving more details.

When a police commander tried to break up an ensuing brawl between rival players, members of the crowd pelted him with rocks, the radio added.

Police fired teargas in response, causing a stampede to the exits in which 11 people were killed and several injured, Okapi said.

AP is now reporting that 13 people were killed and of them all were between the ages of 11-16. The “riot police” decided the most formidable way to handle the situation was to pull out their arms and fire wildly into the air to maintain order. Nice move. We’re sure the “spell” the goalie was trying to cast on the other team was just a form of saying “fuck you”, but, any armed force ready to spill it’s bullets to corral people should recognize they have blood on their hands.

Report: Congo soccer riot over ‘witchcraft’ leaves 11 dead [ESPN]
Witchcraft rumor sparks riot at Congo soccer game [AP]