BAD MEDICINE Kashimawo Laloko, the technical director of the Nigerian Football Association last week admitted that he believes 'juju' (witchcraft) can be used to influence matches. Mind you, it was hardly a surprise, as in 2000 he was sent off before the start of an African Nations Cup clash with Senegal for removing a talisman from the pitch: "I had to pick whatever I found there and I left," he said. "I believe that it does exist," he said of juju. "As an African, we have our customs and traditions. Before the match [the Senegalese] came onto the pitch and started performing some rituals. An executive member of Caf then asked me if I was going to allow what was happening. If I had not done what I did and we had lost, journalists would have written all sorts of nonsense." Nonsense or not, there are many in African football who believe in it, and it's not any more silly than some of the superstitions in football around the world. Argentinian goalkeeper Sergio Goycochea had a special tradtion before penalty kicks, where he would hitch up his shorts and urinate on the grass,
