The incident where Swansea City striker Bafetimbi Gomis collapsed on the pitch, in Wednesday’s match against Tottenham Hotspur, gave the football world a real scare. Many had flashbacks to Fabrice Muamba’s collapse in March 2012, which was caused by a cardiac arrest. He was actually without a pulse for 78 minutes. Muamba was brought back to life and eventually gave up his football career. His survival was also a proof of how much better medical treatments have become in recent years. Had this happened 10 or 20 years ago, Muamba might not have been saved.
Gomis collapsed due to recent stress and pressure, and was quickly awakened. Word was soon spread that the Frenchman was not seriously ill, so there was not the same panic as the incident with Muamba. Gomis’ treatment was merely precautionary, but he was also brought to hospital for one night, before being allowed to travel back to France. Gomis will probably be able to play in Swansea’s next fixture as well, so this time it was just a faint, and not a serious cardiac problem.
But there have been other incidents in football with fatal outcomes, which is why this topic is once again brought to the surface. While playing in the 2003 Confederations Cup, Cameroon’s Marc-Vivien Foe collapsed in the middle of the pitch with heart collapse. Unfortunately, his life was lost. Other knows fatalities of this illness are Antonio Puerta of Sevilla FC and Piermario Morosini of Livorno. Both were well known football names, with bright careers. Both deaths were swift and shocking, and have created demands for more extensive health inspections.
Their tragic death lead to important changes and health focus in the game. A positive result of this have been improvements in testing of footballers and the treatment they receive during matches. Still, unfortunately the main cause of heart collapses in football, is undetectable in 80% of cases. This makes the medical job even tougher.
So what makes athletes in their prime condition collapse in action? Well, the answer is not that sport are unhealthy, as there are still more heart problems in people who are not physically active, than people who are active in sports. However, athletes are more likely to expose a hidden health problem while physically active. In that way, sporting activities can be helpful in discovering underlying health issues.
In the Premier League, all players between 16 and 18 must go through extensive cardiological examinations, and then are followed up later in their careers if there is any suspicions. Also, if there is something discovered by these tests, doctors are able to reduce the chance of a cardiac arrest by up to 90%. This shows how important these tests can be.
Luckily Gomis did not have a cardiac arrest. But his collapse gave us a scary flashback. The football family does not want to see another player die in young age while playing for our entertainment. Another positive of this recent event is that it shows that if necessary, rivalries are put aside when lives are at stake, and that in the fight against heart disease fans will unite in demanding the best possible protection of our heroes.
Please take a moment to follow my Twitter account – @LWOSMagnus. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport & @LastWordFC – and “liking” our Facebook page.
Feel free to discuss this and other footy related articles with thousands of fans at r/football.
Have you tuned into Last Word On Sports Radio? LWOS is pleased to bring you 24/7 sports radio to your PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone. What are you waiting for?
