ABSTRACT
This chapter reports on the state of medical and health issues in Nigeria’s elite professional football league. The chapter points to a variety of health concerns that range from minor and frequent injuries sustained by football players to the more severe cases of career-threatening injuries. It also notes that health issues go beyond injuries sustained on the field of play and covers those that may be sustained during the hazardous travel to games on dangerous roads in a country where the World Health Organization has pointed to a high rate of road traffic accidents. Additionally, the lack of health insurance coverage exacerbates the health conditions for Nigerian football labor. The chapter also provides a case description of one footballer, Amir Angwe, who collapsed and died on the football field in a situation that was preventable. A significant part of the chapter is the report of an exploratory study of 33 elite football players who reported on the facilities and medical resources that are present or absent at their clubs, as well as the types of injuries that occur in their career. The chapter then concludes by briefly discussing the health and future career implications for football players in the country
