New Kaizer Chiefs striker Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana has explained why he used the cross bone celebration, traditionally used by Orlando Pirates players in South Africa.
Bimenyimana opened up his Chiefs account against SuperSport United, completing a brace in the comeback-win over Gavin Hunt’s side.
After his second goal he was seen using the cross bone celebration, with many fans on social media linking it to their bitter rivals, but he insisted it had nothing to do with Pirates.
“My first goal celebration was the ‘black panther.’ I have been doing it since I was young with my brother, who plays in Turkey for Istanbul Baseksahir,” he told Chiefs’ media team.
“Even for the second one it was for him because in the morning I talked to him on the phone and he told me, ‘Today, you’re going to score and you know what to do.’ When I scored the first, I almost forgot to do it.
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“The ‘black panther’ is to show how hungry I am to score goals and the second one was also for my friend, Yusuf, who also plays in Istanbul.
“It had nothing to do with Pirates. I wasn’t even thinking that it’s the same. As I said, it was for me and my brother, what we always do, but now that I know what it means, I won’t do it in this country.
“So, everyone was confused about that on social media, but I repeat, I did it for my friends and my brother. I was happy.”
Bimenyimana also added that the cross is a way to express pride for his home country.
“In Burundi we have that sign, of a cross, which is part of our tradition,” he added.
“Since we were under-17, we’ve been doing that celebration and we have grown together to senior level in the national team.
“In Burundi it means ‘we are together,’ like ‘I’ve got your back and you’ve got my back,’ so that is why we want to keep it. It even appears on the Burundian flag.”
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