Deaths in Football

**stiofain** · 29/08/2007, 3:56 PM

Following the tragic death of Seville's Antonio Puerta, i was curious to see the incident for myself as i'd heard he actuctally walked off the pitch after collapsing. After viewing the awful scenes on youTube, i came accross this video;

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=b5m8ym...related&search=

After reading the comments its unclear whether this lad actuctally died and I was unable to find the players name or that of his team. Is anyone able to shed any light on this?

**sligoman** · 29/08/2007, 3:59 PM

That video was posted before, nearly sure it was a fake?

**stiofain** · 29/08/2007, 4:06 PM

Oh right, sorry. I didnt realise it was discussed here before. Its the first time i'd seen it.

**sligoman** · 29/08/2007, 4:08 PM

Originally Posted by stiofain

Oh right, sorry. I didnt realise it was discussed here before. Its the first time i'd seen it.

I'm not sure though, open to correction as to weather it's genuine or not.

**superfrank** · 29/08/2007, 4:22 PM

Looks really dramatic whatever it is. Hard to believe someone who was dying can go on like that for a good few seconds.

**Risteard** · 29/08/2007, 6:02 PM

It was fake. Search the video on here and the proof is there. The fit was genuine.

**pineapple stu** · 29/08/2007, 8:09 PM

Originally Posted by Risteard

It was fake...The fit was genuine.

I think back when this was first posted, it was mentioned that he had a fit but was back playing again in a couple of weeks.

**superfrank** · 29/08/2007, 9:11 PM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...ca/6969607.stm

Another sudden collapse and subsequent death incident. RIP.

**inexile** · 29/08/2007, 9:33 PM

this is starting to happen a bit too often, what in the name of god is causing all this?? its starting to worry me a bit much at this stage

**Pauro 76** · 29/08/2007, 9:51 PM

Last time i heard something like this happening was Marc Vivien Foe during a Confederations Cup match v France. And now the Sevilla lad. Awful tragedy.

**Risteard** · 29/08/2007, 10:20 PM

WTF?
Two in two days?
Urgent research required here.

**osarusan** · 30/08/2007, 1:34 PM

Is it only football where this happens? Or is that the only sport I follow closely enough to see these incidents.......
What I mean is that I can't remember heart attacks happening so regularly (and even in football it is not 'regular" by any means) in other sports.

I'd imagine that pro cyclists would put more strain on their hearts, simply as they maintain that level of effort for 5/6 hours a day, without a break for days, compared with 90 mins once or twice a week, some of which is simply walking, or just standing.

Pro boxers die once in a while from injuries, but rarely (ever?) heart attacks, and their training is very strenuous also.

Marathon running must be one of the most gruelling of all sports, yet I can't remember similar incidents.

Have I just missed a lot of incidents, or does football have an unusually high level of heart attacks compared with other sports?

**superfrank** · 30/08/2007, 1:39 PM

Two suggestions I've heard were: Energy drinks and, in the case of Puerta, the heat. It was something like 40 plus Celsius in Sevilla that day. And the Spanish football season doesn't usually start til September but with the Euros it appears to have been moved forward, likewise in Italy.

**Dodge** · 30/08/2007, 1:43 PM

Well there are about 500 professional cyclists as opposed to well over that many pro footballers in Ireland. Marathon runners only run 2/3 marathons a year.

Doctor on TV last night was explaining the type of person this effects and it was roughly 1 in 500. So when you consider the amount of professional footballers, that figure isn't ridiculous

Against that, of course, is the fact no one had heard of it happening until a couple of years ago, and since then there's been a spate of them (GAA and rugby included). Awful tragedies.

**Dodge** · 30/08/2007, 1:45 PM

Originally Posted by superfrank

Two suggestions I've heard were: Energy drinks and, in the case of Puerta, the heat. It was something like 40 plus Celsius in Sevilla that day. And the Spanish football season doesn't usually start til September but with the Euros it appears to have been moved forward, likewise in Italy.

Spanish season always alternates. The year after major championships, they start in September and end in late June. The year before they start in August and end in late May

**Jaime** · 30/08/2007, 1:45 PM

Not sure it would have been 40+ by the time the game kicked off in Sevilla?

**superfrank** · 30/08/2007, 1:47 PM

Originally Posted by Jaime

Not sure it would have been 40+ by the time the game kicked off in Sevilla?

It wouldn't have but up until maybe 5 o clock it would've been. Anyone who's been there knows that you just get really tired being out in that heat all day.

It's merely a suggestion.

Also, wasn't their a junior footballer in Kilkenny that suffered a similar fate a few years ago?

**Jaime** · 30/08/2007, 1:49 PM

There was obviously the case of Cormac McAnallen, senior footballer with Tyrone, his mother was on the radio this morning talking about the whole thing. Glad I'm unfit anyway.

**osarusan** · 30/08/2007, 1:53 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Doctor on TV last night was explaining the type of person this effects and it was roughly 1 in 500.

What kind of person does it affect, according to the doctor?

**Roadend** · 30/08/2007, 2:01 PM

They reckoned the Sevilla guy had a genetic heart defect. There were doctors saying that people can have heart problems that could well go undetected. If they weren't footballers training as hard as they do and playing high intensity matches it would probably never affect them.