Sport injuries in spotlight

People in the medical industry and sport administrators have recommended proper emergency assistance at sport fields. It is believed that in some cases a life could have been saved or players could have continued with their careers if proper medical assistance had been provided in time. Namibia has had relatively few cases were a player has died on the field or days after a match from injuries sustained on the field, but recent events have forced pundits to speak out about player safety.Concussion and heart attack are some of the most serious health risks, requiring proper medical examination before a player is allowed to resume play. Brave Warriors medic and physiotherapist Munashe Chinyama has strongly recommended training of medics.Chinyama is adamant that the risk of death or career-ending injury can be reduced by having skilled medical officials on the field. Chinyama says the topics of concussion and cardiac arrest are high on Fifa's and Caf's agenda. “We have had a few incidents with the Brave Warriors but we managed to provide emergency assistance. Cardiac arrest and concussion are very serious things and can kill a player. I have encountered concussion incidents and even cardiac arrest cases with some of our players. That is why it is recommended that medics get proper training on these life-threatening conditions in order to reduce the loss of lives,” Chinyama says. The recommendations come after a 23-year-old soccer player died after another player collided with him during the Winter Cup Tournament that was held at Groot Aub on Saturday. Johannes Rooinasie and another player from his team both went for the ball and clashed in the air. Rooinasie fell on the ground unconscious. He was taken to the Groot Aub clinic and was declared dead upon arrival. One of the most worrying aspects is the social leagues where people play without any medics or an ambulance. Namibia is one of the countries with many social football activities where players are allowed to have a beer before, after or even during a match. “The boozers league is one of those places where things like concussion and cardiac arrest can prove fatal. These guys play with hangovers or even intoxicated and that, combined with a serious injury, can prove fatal,” Chinyama warns. Over 100 players have been recorded to have died on the pitch or after, with the first case dating back as far as 1889 when William Cropper ruptured a bowel in a match against Grimsby Town and died the next day. Hocine Benmiloudi of Algeria was the first African player to be recorded to have died on the field on 5 November 1981. Benmiloudi died during the Ligue 1 match against USM Aïn Beïda in Stade 20 August 1955 (Algiers), from severe food poisoning. One of the most famous cases was when Cameroons Marc-Vivien Foé collapsed while playing in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup semi-final between Cameroon and Colombia.The player died shortly afterward in hospital and an autopsy later revealed the cause of death was hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (an enlarged heart). MTC Namibia Premier League spokesperson Andre Gariseb says it is important for all sport events to have a medic. He feels that all sport codes must make provision for emergency assistance. The Namibia Premier League makes provision for safety measures and has a medic and an ambulance present at every match. “We heard about the unfortunate passing of the young player and it is never good to hear something of that nature happening,” Gariseb says. “I advise people hosting local tournaments or even social leagues to always have a medic and an ambulance in place.“The important thing is to have a contact medic who can give emergency assistance whenever a scenario involving an injury arises.“As the NPL, we hire professional medics to make sure that the player's safety comes first.”Boxing is another dangerous sport, as was illustrated by the recent deaths of Russian boxer Maxim Dadashev and Argentine boxer Hugo Santillan after suffering injuries during fights.Boxing promoter and manager Risto Ashikoto has also advocated for the importance of medical check-ups before and after the fight.“I know that boxers die even when a medic or a doctor is there but the most important thing is the check-ups after and before the fight. Sometimes a boxer just goes home after a fight without any check-ups and this can prove deadly. “That is why it is very important that any person hosting a boxing event has a qualified doctor and medic at the ringside,” Ashikoto said. jesse@namibiansun.com

Sport injuries in spotlight

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Namibian Sun 2026-06-16

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Sport injuries in spotlight

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Namibian Sun 2026-06-16

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