Heart ailment threatens George Chigova’s soccer ca...

Heart ailment threatens George Chigova’s soccer career

Zim Now Writer

South Africa-based Zimbabwe international goalkeeper George Chigova’s career hangs in the balance after being reportedly diagnosed with a heart ailment, which could force him to prematurely hang up his gloves.

The 32-year-old Warriors star, who rejoined SuperSport ahead of the 2020/21 season after the relegation of Polokwane City, is currently not training with the club at the moment and was not in Durban for the pre-season camp the club had last week.

There were reports that the former Dynamos goalminder recently suffered a cardiac arrest, although SuperSport United are yet to issue an update on his condition.

Chigova’s health problems are the main reason why SuperSport re-signed veteran Zimbabwean goalie Washington Arubi, who just like Chigova, will be in his second stint with the South African club.

SuperSport United coach Gavin Hunt has revealed that Chigova’s situation “doesn’t look positive” and the club will assess him in the next coming weeks based on doctors’ recommendation.

“I have not been briefed on the diagnosis or the whole thing, I’m not a doctor,” said Hunt.

“But I know that there is a problem that we are attending to at this point in time and we will know in the next week or so.

“He’s going to spend four weeks just being inactive and go from there. But it doesn’t look positive, but we will give him all our support we can and stay behind him as best we can.”

Chiugova is a product of the Aces Youth Academy in Harare, which has produced some of Zimbabwe’s finest players and was only 23 when he joined SuperSport United from Dynamos in 2014.

He switched to Polokwane where he spent five years before his departure following their relegation from the South African Premiership during the 2019-2020 season.

Chigova then retraced his roots back to SuperSport United where he has featured mostly as back-up to other goalkeepers at the club.