Abel Dhaira

Abel Dhaira (9 September 1987 – 27 March 2016) was an Ugandan professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He capped 13 times for the Uganda national team.^[1]

Abel Dhaira

Personal information
Date of birth	(1987-09-09)9 September 1987
Place of birth	Jinja, Uganda
Date of death	27 March 2016(2016-03-27) (aged 28)
Place of death	Reykjavík, Iceland
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2006–2008	Express
2008–2009	URA
2010	AS Vita
2011–2012	ÍBV	31	(0)
2013	Simba	0	(0)
2014–2016	ÍBV	27	(0)
International career
2009–2016	Uganda	13	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Dhaira played club football in Uganda, the Congo and Iceland for Express, URA,^[2] AS Vita (whom he joined in December 2009 for US$22,000^[3]) and ÍBV.^[4][5][6] He was released by Tanzanian club Simba SC in December 2013.^[7]

International career

Dhaira made his international debut for Uganda in 2009.^[4] He won three CECAFA Cups in 2009, 2011 and 2012.^[8] At the 2012 CECAFA Cup he was hospitalised following a collision with an opposition player.^[9]

Death

In 2015, Dhaira was diagnosed with abdominal cancer and underwent a surgery in Uganda in December the same year. He returned to Iceland in January 2016 where he underwent further medical treatment.^[10][11] However, the cancer had spread throughout his body and on 27 March 2016, he died from the illness at The National University Hospital of Iceland, at the age of 28.^[12][13]

Honours

Uganda

• CECAFA Cup: 2009, 2011, 2012^[8]