Abel Dhaira (9 September 1987 – 27 March 2016) was an Ugandan international footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He capped 13 times for the Uganda national team.[1]

Abel Dhaira
Personal information
Date of birth (1987-09-09)9 September 1987
Place of birth Jinja, Uganda
Date of death 27 March 2016(2016-03-27) (aged 28)
Place of death Reykjavík, Iceland
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2008 Express
2008–2009 URA
2010 AS Vita
2011–2012 ÍBV 31 (0)
2013 Simba 0 (0)
2014–2016 ÍBV 27 (0)
International career
2009–2016 Uganda 13 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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Dhaira played club football in Uganda, the Congo and Iceland for Express, URA,[2] AS Vita (whom he joined in December 2009 for US$22,000[3]) and ÍBV.[4][5][6] He was released by Tanzanian club Simba SC in December 2013.[7]

International career

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Dhaira made his international debut for Uganda in 2009.[4] He won three CECAFA Cups in 2009, 2011 and 2012.[8] At the 2012 CECAFA Cup he was hospitalised following a collision with an opposition player.[9]

Death

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In 2015, Dhaira was diagnosed with abdominal cancer and underwent a surgery in Uganda in December the same year. He returned to Iceland in January 2016 where he underwent further medical treatment.[10][11] However, the cancer had spread throughout his body and on 27 March 2016, he died from the illness at The National University Hospital of Iceland, at the age of 28.[12][13]

Honours

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Uganda

References

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  1. ^ Jóhann Ólafsson (29 March 2016). "Abel Dhaira lést á páskadag". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  2. ^ Dhaira opts for URA FC - NewVision
  3. ^ Uganda: URA to Pocket Sh42 Million for Dhaira - AllAfrica
  4. ^ a b Abel Dhaira at National-Football-Teams.com
  5. ^ Abel Dhaira at Soccerway
  6. ^ Abel DhairaUEFA competition record (archive)
  7. ^ Dhaira Clarifies His Word Over Simba Exit - Red Pepper
  8. ^ a b "Tanzanians join Ugandans to mourn Dhaira loss". Daily News (Tanzania). 29 March 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  9. ^ Andrew Jackson Oryada (24 November 2012). "Hosts Uganda and Ethiopia win their opening Cecafa games". BBC Sport.
  10. ^ Ingvi Þór Sæmundsson (27 March 2016). "Abel Dhaira deceased". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  11. ^ Magnús Már Einarsson (16 February 2016). "Abel heimsóttur á sjúkrahúsið: Bjartsýnn á bata". Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  12. ^ "Uganda Cranes goalie, Abel Dhaira dead". Kawowo.com. 27 March 2016. Archived from the original on 28 March 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  13. ^ Guðmundur Björn Þorbjörnsson (27 March 2016). "Abel Dhaira látinn". RÚV (in Icelandic). Retrieved 11 May 2022.