Stoke City’s Senegalese striker Mame Diouf’s mother is understood to have died in the stampede that happened during the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
Stoke City has reportedly pledged to provide Diouf with “all the support he needs at this extremely difficult time”.
The BBC reports that the club said it wished to extend “Sincere condolences” to the player. It said that its thoughts and prayers are with the player, his family and friends following the tragic death of his mother.
The Saudi authorities put the death toll from last month’s crush near Mecca at 769, but foreign media and officials put the figure at more than 1,000.
The crush happened as two large groups of pilgrims converged as they weretaking part in one of the Hajj’s major rites.
