LONDON--Every soccer field around the globe should have emergency care equipment on hand to help treat any players that suffer the same condition as former footballer Fabrice Muamba, experts have said.
The ex-Bolton Wanderers midfielder was effectively dead for more than an hour when he collapsed following a cardiac arrest during a Football Association Cup match last year.
Now researchers have said officials at games around the world should adopt a universal standard of emergency medical care. In June this year, the emergency medical bag was sent to all of the 209 member associations of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
And the guidance on sudden cardiac arrest – the leading cause of sudden death in soccer – outlines "fundamental measures" to prevent a player dying from the condition, the experts said.
According to the experts, in a statement in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, life-threatening medical emergencies are an infrequent but regular occurrence on the soccer field. Proper prevention strategies, emergency medical planning and timely access to emergency equipment, including automated external defibrillators (AEDs), are required to prevent catastrophic outcomes. In a continuing commitment to player safety during soccer, the article presents the FIFA Medical Emergency Bag and FIFA 11 Steps to prevent sudden cardiac death. These recommendations are intended to create a global standard for emergency preparedness and the medical response to serious or catastrophic on-field injuries in soccer.
SOURCE: British Journal of Sports Medicine