FIFA calls for mandatory defibrillator on football fields after Ajax player sustains brain damage

By Janene Pieters on Friday, 14 July 2017 - 08:18
Abdelhak Nouri
Abdelhak NouriPhoto: Abdelhak Nouri / Facebook

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

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