After continuous observations and efforts made to highlight issues faced by upcoming football players, Herald Reporters dissect into the past incidents of on-field casualities which resulted in deaths of footballers due to absence of peramedics at the venues. Even Friday’s 1st Division League match and North Zone U-14 Final didn’t have precautionary-safety assistance at respective venues
Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: It’s been more than a decade now since Dempo Sports Club lost its favourite son Brazilian Cristiano Junior in a tragic incident. If that wasn’t enough to wake all the people who run football in the country there were a couple of more deaths on the field.
Some years back, D Venkatesh’s a striker for Bangalore Mars collapsed on the ground. Because of the absence of an ambulance, he then had to be taken to a hospital in an auto-rickshaw, unfortunately, he did not make it and died on the way to the hospital. Similarly another young footballer, Mahesh Thapa, succumbed to an injury on the football ground in West Bengal.
Recently, Parvez Kaiser Bhat, player of District Football Association Srinagar was left waiting for an ambulance after picking up a head injury; he was finally taken to the hospital by a spectator with his personal vehicle.
Despite such painful events, things haven’t changed over the years in the State. Recently, in the ongoing Geno-GFA 1st Division match played at Duler Stadium, Dunes Sports Club goalkeeper Alison Fernandes collided on the goal post and sustained a shoulder injury. Help from the sidelines was called, but instead of whisking the player off the pitch for treatment they were clueless how to deal with it as there was no doctor to attend to the casualty. To make things worse there was no ambulance too at Duler Stadium. Finally some assistance came from the Stadium Manager Anthony Lobo who managed to take the player to nearby hospital by private vehicle.
The same situation was noticed in the GFA Women’s League six months ago, when a Panjim Footballer player Aneth Mascarenhas picked up a career-threatening knee injury during the league match against FC Goa at Nagoa ground, Verna wherein she claimed that there was neither an ambulance nor a doctor at the venue.
Even Friday’s (May 10, 2019) 1st Division League match between St Savio SC and A A de Moira at Duler Stadium and North Zone U-14 Final match between Dempo SC and Goan FC at Ella ground, didn’t have ambulance or a doctor at the respective venues.
When contacted Goa Football Association Vice President Lavinio Rebello tried to justify and said, “We have U-15 and U-13 AIFF tournaments that were going on. Dr Fenton who was given the contract to check everything has got only four ambulances and support staff placed here and there. If he cannot arrange then what can we do?”
The senior Vice President countered the statement and said, “Sometimes if there is no ambulance we even use our car to take the players to the hospital. The managerial staff of Sesa Goa helps us at times. There are hiccups every year and we need to put things in place.”
However, Rebello stated that the State football association is trying their best to provide the safety standards to the players. “We were trying to get two ambulances for North and South Goa through the MPLAD funds. We have been going from pillar to post and have approached nearly all the departments regarding the two ambulances,” concluded Rebello.
Surprisingly, the payers have dismissed the association’s claim on the availability of an ambulance and have alleged that the lower league match players are given a ‘step-motherly’ treatment.
“The lower league matches are played without any ambulances. I know the association is trying hard to provide best facilities but I personally feel players’ safety is the most important aspect which we cannot ignore,” said a club official who is plying trade in the GFA league.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, an All India Football Federation match commissioner stressed and explained the importance of the safety of players, “Besides the I-League and ISL matches, for any AIFF under-age group matches, be it U-13, U-15, U-18 or Second Division I-League matches, ambulance services are mandatory. There should be two ambulances present at the venue along with a doctor and only then the AIFF match can be started,”
With the blame game still on, it’s the players who literally risk it all for the beautiful game. Will it ever change only time will tell? With no proper medical facilities players are just a tackle away from a serious injury.
