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South African football legend Tovey leaves hospital

By AFP
South Africa Neil Tovey celebrates with Nelson Mandela in 1996 after South Africa won the Africa Nations Cup.  By Mykel Nicolaou AFP
OCT 23, 2016 LISTEN
Neil Tovey celebrates with Nelson Mandela in 1996 after South Africa won the Africa Nations Cup. By Mykel Nicolaou (AFP)

Johannesburg (AFP) - South African legend Neil Tovey left hospital Sunday a week after suffering a heart attack, the national football association said.

The only white to captain an Africa Cup of Nations-winning team collapsed last Sunday in Indian Ocean city Durban while training for a charity cycle race.

It was the second health scare for the 54-year-old after suffering cardiac arrest last year while playing squash.

Tovey skippered hosts South Africa to the 1996 Cup of Nations title, with the 2-0 final victory over Tunisia watched by an 80,000 crowd that included then state president Nelson Mandela.

He represented Bafana Bafana (The Boys) 52 times, 29 as captain.

The centre-back spent most of his playing career with Kaizer Chiefs, one of the most successful and popular South African football clubs.

He later coached several top-flight sides, steered Mamelodi Sundowns to the 2005-2006 league title, and is now the national technical director of football.

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