South African Neil Tovey, the only white man to captain an Africa Cup of Nations-winning team, is in a critical condition after a heart attack.
His brother Mark confirmed the news in a statement released by the South Africa Football Association (Safa).
Tovey led his team to a 2-0 win over Tunisia in the 1996 final in Soweto, watched by a capacity 80,000 crowd that included then-President Nelson Mandela.
The 54-year-old was appointed Safa’s technical director in June 2015.
He reportedly suffered a heart attack four months before he was appointed to his current role.
In the statement released on Sunday, Mark Tovey said: “He suffered a heart attack while training this afternoon and was rushed to hospital.
“We await the doctor’s report and the next few hours are going to be critical.”
The President of Safa, Dr Danny Jordaan, said he was shocked to learn the news and wished Tovey a speedy recovery.
“We trust he will pass through this challenge,” Jordaan said. BBC News
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