FIFA calls for mandatory defibrillator on football fields after Ajax player sustains brain damage
All football matches must have a mandatory defibrillator available in future, according Michel D'Hooghe, physician and chairman of world football union FIFA's medical committee. If a defibrillator is handy, situations like Ajax player Abdelhak Nouri sustaining brain damage may be prevented, he believes, according to NOS.
"You can buy one for a thousand euros" D'Hooghe said on Nieuwsuur. "Even the most modest amateur club, I think, can pay that price for a life." All international competitions of FIFA and UEFA already have a defibrillator at the football fields. "But this has to be extended to national leagues, to the lowest amateur levels."
Nouri sustained severe and permanent brain damage after he collapsed due to cardiac arrhythmias in an exercise match on Saturday. According to his siblings, the 20-year-old Ajax player is definitely not doing well, but they are still holding out hope. "We hope that our beautiful Nouri will be fine", teenage sister Ghizlan said to the Telegraaf.
"He can not walk anymore, talk anymore, he does not recognize us, he does not know who we are. He feels nothing, hear's nothing anymore", brother Abderrahim said to the newspaper. "The longer you wait, the better they can do tests. Yesterday morning, the doctors did another test. The base of his brain is largely damaged and does not work anymore. According to the doctor, he won't be able to do any of that again, he won't heal. But I trust in Allah. He is a good guy. Everybody, the whole world talks well of him."
The news of Nouri's condition sent a shockwave through the football world. Social media was flooded with messages of love, support and well wishes under the hashtag #StayStrongAppie
Very sorry because of what happened with Appie, we are with you. STAY STRONG 💪💪 #staystrongappie @AFCAjax pic.twitter.com/iGoSEQJ6uz
— Luis Suarez (@LuisSuarez9) July 13, 2017
Life is just not fair!! #StayStrongAppie ❤🙏 pic.twitter.com/2CmUiSdkMS
— Edwin van der Sar (@vdsar1970) July 13, 2017
Wat een treurig bericht over een veelbelovende, getalenteerde Ajacied 😞 Heel veel sterkte voor hem en zijn familie 🙏🏼❤️#staystrongappie 💪🏼 pic.twitter.com/B8tSQnoumf
— Marco van Basten (@MarcoVanBasten) July 13, 2017
Saddened to hear the news about Nouri. My thoughts and prayers are with him, his family, friends and everyone at Ajax. #StayStrongAppie pic.twitter.com/NHpy1exp99
— Dirk Kuyt (@Kuyt) July 13, 2017
Appie,altijd als eerste op het trainingsveld,leergierig,bijdehand, nieuwsgierig,doortastend en ongelofelijk talentvol. Ik hou van je Appie❤️
— Ronald de Boer (@RdBoer1970) July 13, 2017
We zijn geschrokken van het nieuws over Abdelhak Nouri. Namens ons team wensen we de familie, vrienden & Ajax veel sterkte.#StayStrongAppie
— Johan Cruyff Foundation (@JCFoundation) July 13, 2017
My thoughts are with you, your family and everyone involved. 🙏🏻#StayStrongAppie pic.twitter.com/m46SYKmes8
— Daley Blind (@BlindDaley) July 13, 2017
#StayStrongAppie https://t.co/Fy1cig9Gd7
— Sergio Ramos (@SergioRamos) July 13, 2017
Stay strong and keep fighting #prayfornouri pic.twitter.com/ftP92LX0dm
— Jordy Clasie (@JordyClasie) July 13, 2017
Om stil van te worden... heel veel sterkte aan de familie. Ik zal blijven bidden. #StayStrongAppie #nouri #ajax #ajaxfamily 🙏🏽
— Maduro Hedwiges (@madurohedwiges) July 13, 2017
GEEN WOORDEN VOOR pic.twitter.com/tJJ42NeLLY
— John de Wolf (@JdWolf_Official) July 13, 2017
Het is ronduit vreselijk. Ik wens zijn familie en Ajax heel veel sterkte. https://t.co/j5sUB9nzPc
— Michael van Praag (@MichaelvanPraag) July 13, 2017
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family! 🙏🏻 #nouri pic.twitter.com/HFRxxRvGYb
— Eljero Elia (@EljeroElia) July 13, 2017
Hartbroken to hear this news , all our prayers to Appie and his Family and Friends #staystrongappie 🙏🏾😔❤️ pic.twitter.com/GGukKjt3HP
— PATRICK KLUIVERT (@PatrickKluivert) July 13, 2017
What a terrible news.. My thoughts and prayers go out to Abdelhak Nouri, his family, his friends and to Afc Ajax.
— Ruud van Nistelrooy (@RvN1776) July 13, 2017
🙏 pic.twitter.com/flEI9xzZqo
Devastating news about Abdelhak Nouri. I wish him and his family all the strength in the world #StayStrongAppie 🙌🏻❤️🙏 pic.twitter.com/0cSRFtEyzJ
— Robin van Persie (@Persie_Official) July 13, 2017