Meet the controversial horse placenta healer hired to patch up injured Asamoah Gyan
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has once again turned to controversial Serbian healer, Mariana Kovacevic to patch-up injured Black Stars skipper, Asamoah Gyan ahead of a crucial 2017 AFCON quarterfinal clash against DR Congo on Sunday.
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Kovacevic has worked on-and-off as an auxilliary medical staff for Ghana since she was first brought on board for the 2010 FIFA World Cup after being introduced by ex-Ghana coach and compatriot Milovan Rajevac.
It was based on her excellent works in South Africa - notably for getting oft-injured Kevin-Prince Boateng fit for matches that she was again contracted for the Nations Cup in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
If successful, it wont be the first time Kovacevic would have worked her magic on Gyan. She remarkably got the Al Ahli star fit for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations after a four-hour session when he was originally ruled out for up to a month with a hamstring injury.
After four hours of treatment he was able to return to action, when it was thought he would be out of action for four weeks!
At the time Gyan admitted to thinking he had been cured by witchcraft.
He said: "When she administered the concoction I thought she was going to allow me some days to recuperate. To my surprise she told me to start sprinting after just four hours and I said to myself: 'This lady must either be crazy or a witch'.
"I hesitantly started to sprint and I couldn't understand how I managed to do it without any difficulties. I must admit I'm really grateful to this woman."
She is renowned for her specialized horse placenta treatment which accelerates the recovery of injured athletes.
READ ALSO: Serbian magical healer to Gyan’s aid
Her methods are said to involve injecting horse placenta into injured tissue, although a section of her employers have denied receiving injections but rather deep massages to help speed return from injuries. It is claimed the injection of horse placenta on to an affected area speeds up the recovery process.
Kovacevic has treated a host of top players around the world including Manchester United star Robin van Persie and Manchester City heroes Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaletta while her website she lists over 100 other players she has treated through the years.
They include ex-Liverpool stars Yossi Benayoun, Albert Riera and Glen Johnson, plus well-known players around Europe such as Sasa Ilic, Marko Pantelic, Dejan Stankovic, Savo Milosevic and Louis Saha.
She has also worked with the Romanian national team.
Glamorous Kovacevic in the past she has faced claims of tax evasion in relation to payments received from footballers.
Kovacevic is not the only 'healer' from outside the game to have helped footballers.
Faith healer Eileen Drewery became a part of Glenn Hoddle's set-up when he was the England manager, leaving him open to ridicule from many quarters.
Some England players like Darren Anderton thought Drewery was great, but others thought she was a joke.
