Don advises clubs, associations to teach footballers, referees basic CPR, health emergency techniques

Orthopedic and Sports Physiotherapy lecturer at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Dr. Oluwaseun Fapojuwo, has said that most death on the football pitch are preventable if all footballers are taught how to perform basic Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) emergency procedure on their stricken team mates before the arrival of a doctor.

Speaking on ways athletes can avoid injuries from sporting  activities at the draw ceremony of Mike Okonkwo Football Championship in Lagos, Fapojuwo said in most developed countries, upcoming footballers learn the rudiments of football and professionalism as well as general safety and health tips from experienced doctors.

He said most deaths occur because players, referees and even coaches were not taught how to handle simple health issues or emergency situations on the pitch.

According to Fapojuwo: “Every Nigerian player needs to be taught how to perform basic CPR procedures. Two events happened overseas and the other in Nigeria. The one in Nigeria led to death, while in the incident abroad the player was saved.

“This is the case of Christian Eriksen, a Danish player, who collapsed while playing for his country. He was saved before the doctors got to the pitch because his teammates knew what to do. They performed CPR on him and he regained himself before he was taken to hospital.

“Also in a German league game, a referee saved Super Eagles Striker, Taiwo Awoniyi’s life when he collapsed on the pitch. He was restored to life immediately by the centre referee.

“In Nigeria’s case, the late Chineme Martins of Nasarawa United FC died of respiratory issues while playing a league game because the players on the pitch didn’t know how to perform CPR on him.

“It is not that the western world