I Saw Tiote Fighting For His Life, Teammate Leke James Reveals
By Oladipupo Mojeed
Leke James, team mate of late Ivorian midfielder, Cheick Tiote has revealed how he saw the player fight for his life before giving up the ghost after reportedly suffering cardiac arrest on the training ground of Beijing Enterprise.
The shocked Nigerian forward told SCORENigeria that he saw Tiote fighting to live when he slumped in training and was later pronounced dead.
According to him, the former Newcastle United midfielder slumped on his own while with the ball.
James recalled how Tiote fought to stay alive right there on the pitch.
“It was unbelievable, I am still in shock over his death,” the striker told only SCORENigeria
“I rushed to the pitch when I heard he had collapsed while the medical team was trying to save him before the arrival of the ambulance.
“I saw him struggling between life and death while lying down on the pitch. But he will give up the ghost before I reached the hospital. I only met his lifeless body.
“It’s so, so sad and devastating,” he said.