By Andrew Warshaw
May 9 – Football’s world players’ union FIFPro has raised concern about the level of first-aid treatment for footballers in Romania following the tragic death of Dinamo Bucharest and Cameroon midfielder Patrick Ekeng on Friday.
The defensive midfielder, who had two international caps and played in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, was the latest professional player to collapse after suffering a suspected heart attack, shortly after coming on as a 62nd-minute substitute during a league match against Viitorul Constanta. He was pronounced dead two hours later.
“While it is too early to draw conclusions from this tragic accident, as police continue to investigate the circumstances, it is clear that some Romanian clubs have a history of skimping on medical facilities,” FIFPro said in a statement.
In 2012, FIFPro’s Romanian member AFAN asked the country’s national federation to make it compulsory for clubs to have fully-equipped ambulances at all official and friendly matches. The demand came after Nigerian player Henry Chinonso Ihelewere died at the age of 21 after suffering a cardiac arrest during a friendly match in August 2012.
“It would have cost as little as €400 per club per match to have state-of-the-art equipment available but the plan was not adopted,” AFAN president Emilian Hulubei was quoted as saying. “Instead, clubs in the top three divisions have been allowed to have ambulances on standby with minimal equipment. We are waiting for the results of the autopsy but it is possible that Patrick Ekeng could have died to save €400. If that is true it is very sad. Footballers in Romania are a long way from being treated the way normal workers should be.”
Dinamo insist they contracted three ambulances that were “properly equipped for emergency interventions”.
Nevertheless, prosecutors in Bucharest have opened an official inquiry into Ekeng’s death amid criticism of the treatment he received. Romania’s interior ministry said a probe would be carried out into the private ambulance company which transported the player to hospital to determine if equipment complied with norms and staff were sufficiently qualified.
“After local authorities complete their investigation, we expect answers as to whether or not this tragedy could have been avoided,” said FIFPro General Secretary Theo van Seggelen.
The Romanian FA postponed all matches in the top three divisions, the junior championship, futsal and women’s games that were scheduled to take place between May 7 and 9. The domestic Cup final between Dinamo and CFR Cluj, which was due to be played on Tuesday, was also postponed until May 17.
Ekeng’s sister claims he said he was “feeling very tired” before the game.
“He told his best friend he was not able to play,” Monique Chantal told BBC Sport.
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