Fallen Heroes: # 3
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he tropical air was laden with warm spring feelings under
the dark Omdurman sky. The flood lights fully beaconed sparked the atmosphere
along with fiery chants of 30,000 spectators. It was a humid Saturday night
that saw two high profile Sudanese football clubs file out against each other
in a competitive league game.
El-Merriekh and Al-Mal football teams were the arena’s focal
point.
The referee’s screaming blow commissioned the match’s
kick-off.
With much rigour and intensity, both sides put up impressive
displays against each other early on. The game’s tension wearing on saw a
potential opener when El-Merriekh had a free-kick and sent their men forward to
make the best of it. In the ensuing movement towards the opponent’s goal, a
minor confusion occurred as one of the El-Merriekh men remained face-down on
the pitch’s green. Pokes, prods and jolts sent by team-mates of the distressed
man were met with no response. The team’s captain spotting the strange
phenomenon determinedly beckoned on medical teams from the sidelines to salvage
the degenerating ill.
All of these momentarily halted the progress of the game.
Spectators, bemused at the happening sought enlightenment
from the scene’s replay on displaying overhead mega screens. In slow motion at
more zoomed-in angles, an El-Merriekh shirt in an energetic thrust towards the
opponent’s goal dropped gradually to the ground with a bumping hard impact on a
fellow team-mate. At the mouth of this all was 25-year old Nigerian attacker,
Endurance Idahor.
The responsive medical team hurried the ailed player off the
pitch to a waiting ambulance. Upon arrival at the hospital, he was pronounced
dead-on-arrival by receiving medicals that assessed and opined he passed-on on his
way there. Extensive autopsy findings revealed a circulatory collapse as the
cause of death.
Circulatory collapse is a state when there is a failure in
the transmission of blood to parts within the body. Based on target blood
supply areas, circulatory collapse is classified as either cardiac (heart is the target area) or peripheral (tissues and other organs are the target areas). Before
collapse occurs, an inadequacy of blood described as ‘insufficiency’ persists
and usually results in low blood volume that precipitates shock or organ
failure. This weakens blood vessels and mortally reduces the pressure in them
causing low oxygen levels and consequently, faints in sufferers.
A number of factors have been isolated as causes; heart
disease, surgery, drugs affecting blood pressure, high levels of salt and blood
clots. Prevention of this can best be effected by maintaining diets beneficial to the heart and minimizing physical activity during severe fatigue. Comprehensive blood pressure checks and tests should also be carried out often whether or not fatigue is experienced.
Endurance, who may have been a sufferer of any of these, was
probably unaware of his state which was made worse by the rigour of running up
and down the pitch. In such severe shock, insufficiency must have quickly given
way to collapse and eventually, his death. This event strengthens renewed calls
for elaborate medical screening for footballers before and after games.
He is today survived by a wife and young children.
During the pitch frenzy and medical emergency on the game's thirteenth minute mark, the referee called an indefinite time-out.
The match never continued afterwards….
Fallen Heroes: # 2
Another was felled. Not by bullets or natural causes but by
enemy action, purportedly.
This is only a page in the thick books of
association football deaths.
Orobosan Adun, ebullient, full of life, young and promising,
met death in the most unfortunate way on 26th of May, 2009. Smit
with cudgels; maimed by rogues and battered to pulp; Orobosan was assaulted by
thugs. Reports say thugs were suspected to be supporters of a rival team.
Warri Wolves Football Club – a symbol of pride in the southern Nigerian belt travelled to the coal city of Enugu for a league game
encounter with the local side. Unbeknownst to most, special plans were brewed
for the visiting side’s goalkeeper by a group of the home side’s loyalists.
Luck – depleted, unfortunately, gave opportunity to evil and BANG! Disaster
struck. Orobosan was beaten, disgraced and sorely injured. The satisfied
hoodlums fled the scene leaving the 28 year old sprawling in a near-death
state.
72 hours later, in the course of training and physical
warm-ups; Orobosan, determined to get over the attacks; unfortunately slumped.
He was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
The cause of death was reported as ‘internal haemorrhage’.
The Situation Room
‘Haemorrhage’ a term coined from the Latin word ‘haemorrhagia’ means violent bleeding. It occurs as a result of trauma or
physical damage to the troubled organ. In this case, the occurring haemorrhage
was internal, that is, within the body. This was particularly dangerous because
gushing blood from the internal organ caused compression of nearby organs,
interfering with their functions and compromising the entire physical state of
Orobosan. Traumatic cases where this is rampant are automobile accidents that
occur as a result of sudden application of brakes at high speeds causing
vehicles to skid or somersault, thus, killing the victims.
Since haemorrhage is essentially loss of blood, it is
classified on four levels of severity.
Type 1 – involves loss of less than 15% of total blood
volume.
Type 2 – involves loss of between 15-30% of total blood
volume. The sufferer’s skin may look pale and cold because the body is closing
up other blood vessels to the skin to make up for the loss.
Type 3 – involves loss of between 30-40% of the total blood
volume. The sufferer’s mental health dips and heart rate increases.
Type 4 – involves loss of more than 40% of the total blood
volume. The body cannot compensate for the loss any longer and aggressive
resuscitation by the care giver is needed to prevent death.
Orobosan’s blood volume had already dropped; the effect
being reduced available oxygen which was responsible for his slump. In the ensuing
shock from his team mates, his heart, whilst pumping in the face of blood loss
beat violently to its eventual stop.
This could have been averted by monitoring the chap’s health
after learning of his attack. 72 hours is not enough to recover from a trauma!
The scheduled game between Orobosan’s team and Enugu Rangers
was never played.
Today, Orobosan’s assailants are still at large.
Diego: Drugs, the pain and Why?
‘Again?’ My football fanatic buddy quipped, exchanging
puzzled looks with me upon receiving the news of Diego Maradona’s second ban
from international football. The headline of the tabloid plainly put, ‘The
Genius Banned AGAIN’. His response I was to find out later on, mirrored the general
reaction that greeted this news item.
For many born beyond the years of this player’s reign,
Maradona would hold only a word-of-mouth and perhaps, passing value and mean
nothing much more. The privileged few who observed his rise from the streets of
Buenos Aires to the greens of Estadio Azteca – the venue of the Mexico ’86 World
Cup final would undoubtedly pen something unusual to this man. On the field of play,
you had an exact legend; sharp, fast, clever and tactical. Maradona infused
urgency, style and leadership to his games that brought opponents to awe and submission
and propelled his teams to vital victories and accolades. So profound was his influence
that the name ‘maradona’ unofficially came to mean cleverness, cunning and dexterity.
In fact, so widespread was this phenomenon that a former Nigerian military head
of state was dubbed such in response his double-faced and overly punitive leadership.
To come to terms with this disheartening information seemed surreal to we
staunch football loyalists all over the entire world.
One thesis however, pins euphoric states of walking on the red carpet , or more simply put; ‘the arrogant feelings of being chased by pressmen’ as being sustained by these harmful drugs especially when limousines, flashing lights, cameras, journalists, held-out mics, red carpets and ecstatic fans cannot always be around a star. What many of these famous people try to do is to artificially replicate these feelings by the use of abusive drugs which popularly include; heroin, cocaine and morphine.
In this case, Recreational
Drug Abuse is the descriptive term used.
Alternatively, in an attempt stay relevant and probably ‘legendary’,
some celebrities use medications to enhance their individual outputs or
stimulate their performances in their chosen fields. Popular track and field
athlete Marion Jones is a classic case.
Doping is a term
used to describe this phenomenon. Doping
tests are used to detect this.
Diego Maradona failed a doping test because cocaine was
found to be present in his blood stream. More popularly, he failed a second which
indicated high levels of Ephedrine – a known stimulant, performance enhancer
and banned substance by FIFA. Reports confirm he failed a third, cocaine being
the reason. A thorough look into the life of this man reveals tales of law
enforcement bust-ups, personal drug addictions, professional struggles and failing
credibility in the public eye. So protracted was this habit that a contract clause of his with a
football club required him to be tested before every game!
Maradona today, has since overcome these challenges and stated on
Argentine television that he had quit drinking and drug use.
Fallen Heroes: # 1
The National Stadium, Surulere was host to the Nigerian men's football team squared against Angola for a crunch 1990 World Cup qualifying game. In such gaudy fashion, the scenic atmosphere was charged with fervent chants from supporters of both sides. This sunny day seemed to hold a good omen for the two teams as the cordial climate looked permitting and promising.
Togolese referee Hounnake Kouassi blew viciously to flag the game's kick-off.
The match commenced with both sides playing like the field was a release valve for a long standing grudge between each other. 60,000 spectators watched keenly.
Seconds gave way to minutes. The Green Eagles found the back of the net one minute shy of the end of first half. Skipper, Stephen Keshi led this onslaught.
Second Half began with the Angolans seeking a much needed equalizer against a buoyed Nigerian side. This takes up most of the concluding half of the game. Nigeria's Head Coach seeking some renewed energy from his side opts for substitute midfielder Samuel Okwaraji in place of Ademola Adesina in the last quarter of the game.
All seems well till it appears a Green Eagles player is apparently down in the Angolan half after the ball lands midfield from the Nigerian goalkeeper's punt up field. This draws the attention of medical personnel, spectators and players especially after concerted efforts to nurse the player were met with no response.
Substitute, Samuel Okwaraji was the centre of this all.
He was stretchered off; the game crept on till the final whistle. A high-low note could best describe the end of this encounter for the Eagles. High because a valuable 3-point was earned, low because a cloud of uncertainty loomed over the coaching crew regarding the health status of hurt midfielder Samuel Okwaraji.
The next day, tabloids were awash with the spirit-shattering news of the footballer's death. The cause of death was reported to be due to an enlarged heart and high blood pressure. This event moderately sensitized the public to the value of sports' health & fitness.
Professional reports today state that the midfielder died almost immediately after his collapse on the field.
He is reported to have been only 25 years of age at the time of his death.
Bringing it home
Samuel Okwaraji's death was caused by Congestive Heart Failure – a state characterised by blocked blood vessels found in the muscle walls of the heart. These vessels are called Coronary Arteries.
The progression of this event is insidious i.e. it is gradual and tends to occur over a period of time. Sufferers of this condition experience elevated blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, tiredness and shortness of breath. This is because the interior lining of the blood vessels gets clogged and blood getting to this area is required to be pumped at a much higher pressure.
In action, his blood pressure shot up due to the physical stress of running, playing the ball and shouting to his team mates. So an already fragile state of the player was subjected to more stress and rigour.
Truth be told, this didn't develop overnight. Comprehensive medical tests should have revealed this before the incident. The dearth of such practice in our health administration at that time cost the young chap his life.
Not of glass or brass but of class...REAL CLASS!
Today, We speak of an attacker who redefines convention and changes what we know football to be. Lionel Messi. A trail blazer whose blaze eclipses what we once had of football in such conspicuous fashion. Diego Maradona, Pele, Johan Cruyff, Marco Van Basten, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldinho Gaucho can all rest as luminaries of a ancient era, Messi today defines what the new is.
From the Sidelines examines highlights of his career. Not goals, records, wages and followership but something seemingly insignificant and almost unnoticeable about this prodigy. His professional health & fitness.
2005/2006 Season
Messi sustains a muscle tear in his right thigh on 7th March 2006 in the 23rd minute of the 2nd leg second round UEFA Champions League game against Chelsea in which Barcelona drew 1-1 to qualify on a 3-2 aggregate to qualify for the next round.
Messi sustains a broken metatarsal on 12th November 2006 against Real Zaragoza. He was sidelined for 3 months but returned on 10th March to nail a hat-trick against Real Madrid in the traditional El-Classico league match.
2006/2007 Season
Messi enjoys a virtually injury free season with no major health event to worry about.
2007/2008 Season
Messi sustains a muscle tear in his left thigh on 4th March, 2008 against Celtic in a Champions League game. He was sidelined for six weeks. This injury made it the fourth of its kind occuring in three seasons for the footballer.
2008/2009 Season
Messi as once before enjoys a virtually injury free season.
2009/2010 Season
Messi enjoys a second consecutive injury free season.
2010/2011 Season
Messi sustains a sprain in the internal and external ligaments of his ankle on 19th September, 2010 courtesy a reckless tackle by Atletico Madrid defender - Tomas Ujfalusi. At first glance, commentators opined that a broken ankle had occurred and the forward might be out for 6 moths with a broken ankle. He returned two months later on 20th November, 2010.
2011/2012 Season
Messi once again enjoys a virtually injury free season.
Looking at this you are compelled to admire the chap's fitness and minimal proneness to injury. Agile, fast, dexterous and influential. Amidst these accolades and sterling performances, here, you have your typical legend.
From the Sidelines seconds any motion directed at erecting a huge golden effigy of Lionel Messi at the front of the Nou Camp stadium. Hail the Maestro!
News around the world
Rooney out for another 2 weeks
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney's injury layoff because of a knee problem has been extended by another two weeks. The England international was hurt in training on Dec. 25 and was initially expected to be back in training by now. Manager Alex Ferguson says "Wayne is still injured. It is not serious but it is going to take longer than we thought, probably another two weeks.'
Aguero confirms hamstring tear
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero says tests have shown he has torn a hamstring, but gave no indication when he will be fit to return to action. The Argentina international missed City's 3-0 victory over Watford in the FA Cup third round on Saturday after sustaining the injury late in the win over Stoke on Tuesday. Manager Roberto Mancini initially hoped to have his joint top-scorer back for next weekend's trip to Arsenal, but that looks doubtful after Aguero visited a specialist in Italy.
Pepe to miss one month after ankle surgery
Celtic duo ruled out
Mikael Lustig (hamstring) and Kris Commons (thigh) will miss Celtic's clash at Kilmarnock after going off injured against Spartak Moscow. Victor Wanyama returns from suspension and Scott Brown trained after deciding he will not immediately have surgery on his hip problem. Striker Anthony Stokes (ankle) and wingers Paddy McCourt (hamstring) and James Forrest (hamstring) remain out.
Considine suffers broken leg
Aberdeen have confirmed that defender Andrew Considine has broken his leg. The 25-year-old went down in a heap after 31 minutes of his side's 3-1 win over Dundee at Dens Park on Saturday and was stretchered off in clear pain. Manager Craig Brown described the injury as "serious" in his post-match interviews and it has now been confirmed as a break.
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