UNITED Kingdom-based (UK), Bulawayo-born tennis umpire Ngoni Chang Kufazvinei has died.
FORTUNE MBELE SPORTS REPORTER
Kufazvinei (50) succumbed to cancer on Friday afternoon and her daughter Chantelle yesterday said arrangements were being made for her father’s body to be repatriated into the country.
“He passed away on Friday at 3pm. Arrangements for the body to be brought into the country are being made and he will probably be buried on Wednesday or Thursday in Sanyati,” she said.
“Most of his family members are in the UK and mourners will probably be gathered at his brother’s house in Parklands (Bulawayo). That is the information that I have for now.”
According to correspondence sent to Chantelle, written on November 29 from the University Hospitals Birmingham by Dr Manoj Raghavan, Kufa who stayed in Coventry was diagnosed with leukemia in May this year and was admitted at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
He officiated at last year’s Wimbledon Open in July.
He started in 1997 umpiring in the qualifying stages as a line umpire. He also officiated at the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games.
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Kufazvinei was the first local to officiate at that level having also taken part in high profile events like the Australian Open and US Open.
Chantelle yesterday said she was involved in the Pathfinder Luxury coach accident on her way from Harare last Saturday which killed six people.
She had gone to sort out documentation to visit her ailing father.
Kufazvinei is survived by two daughters, Chantelle and Nicole, currently in South Africa.
