President of the Ghana Rugby Football Union, Herbert Mensah, has paid glowing tribute to Max Brito.

The former Ivory Coast rugby President player died on Monday, December 19, after a long illness.

Herbert Mensah, who was close to Max Brito, has eulogized him.

"MAX BRITO - RIP My friend. 26 years ago we put together the Max Brito Rugby/Football Extravaganza to raise money for Max, who was seriously injured in a World Cup match between Ivory Coast and Tonga"

"I and friends organised fundraising in Ghana and the UK. The highlight of which is "the last amateur tour," in which some of England's finest met an essentially ex-Springbok 15 in Ghana".

"I raised $25,000 for Max and later drove to see him in Bordeaux, France, where he was in special hospice. I travelled with Naana, Chester, Fareida and Tony (Naidoo). I still remember his words to me … he said 'make sure the world does not forget about me!' Within a year or two, the SA Springboks visited Max at his hospital, and soon after I raised money for Max to travel to Cape Town to watch England play the Springboks".

"We met in the UK at the 2016 World Cup and Max will always be a part of my life," Herbert Mensah wrote in a tribute.

Max Brito was an Ivorian rugby union player. Because of injuries sustained at the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa, he was paralysed. As of 2007, he could only move his head, torso, and arm.