Players and fans of APR FC are mourning the death of club fitness coach Adel Zrane, who died on Tuesday, April 2.
Zrane, 40, was found dead in his apartment but the cause of his death remains unknown.
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The Tunisian’s death left the football fraternity, especially APR FC community, devastated as the likes of club captain Claude Niyomugabo, vice-captain Sharaf Eldin Shiboub, Taddeo Lwanga and goalkeeper Pierre Ishimwe lead tribute for the coach whom they considered a ‘dear friend’.
Shaiboub revealed that he had a great relationship with Zrane. The Sudan international struggled to find the words to express his grief towards his ‘close friend.’
"I don't know what to say," Shiboub said. "Coach Zrane was my best friend. Rest in peace. My heart is broken."
Fellow teammate Taddeo Lwanga also took to social media and said, "Life is too short. Yesterday (Monday), we were talking, and today (Tuesday) you are gone. Rest in peace, my friend."
Sources closely following APR said that the dressing room loved Zrane whom captain Niyomugabo described as a ‘cool guy.’
"He was new to our team, but he treated everyone with kindness and respect. Everyone loved him and will miss him dearly. He was such a cool guy," he told Weekend Sport.
Niyomugabo recalled his last interaction with Zrane was after APR’s recent match against Muhazi United, just two days before his unexpected passing.
"He seemed his usual happy self. No one could have predicted what would happen," he said.
Pierre Ishimwe, APR FC's second goalkeeper, also reflected on his relationship with Zrane under whom he enjoyed the way he treated him despite spending most the season on the bench.
"Coach Zrane used to call me 'mon petit' [my son]. It always made me laugh, and we would often play pool together when we had downtime. We'll miss him big time," the shot stopper said.
Meanwhile, the fans also joined in expressing their condolences for Zrane's untimely passing.
Jacques Munyaneza, known as Rujugiro, said, "I didn't know him personally, but he seemed like a humble and kind person. May his soul rest in peace.”
Emma Chantal Muhayimpundu, a fan from the 'Zone 5' fan club, echoed these sentiments, saying, "The players' memories of Zrane paint a picture of a wonderful human being.
The Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) and the Ministry of Defense are jointly investigating what may have caused the death coach Zrane.
Repatriation
Zrane’s body is currently laid at Kacyiru Hospital's mortuary.
Weekend Sport understands that the body of the deceased coach was pending autopsy until his wife arrived to authorize the operation.
"The autopsy was operated today (Thursday) and his wife was present during the operation. His body will be repatriated on Friday,” a source told Weekend Sport.