ISL
Like Eriksen, what if a footballer collapsed on the field in the ISL?
If a similar incident like Eriksen's collapse happened in the Indian Super League, do the organizers have an infrastructure in place that could save a life?
Christian Eriksen collapsed on the field during a match between Finland and Denmark in the Euro 2020
The entire sporting world went through a scare on Saturday, when Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsed in Denmark's group B opener against Finland. The Danish players, led by captain Simon Kjaer, formed a shield around him to protect him from the eyes of the cameramen. It was evident that the situation was very serious.
The medics rushed on the field and administered CPR in an attempt to save his life. And after 15 minutes of being motionless, Christian Eriksen was finally resuscitated. It was a spectacular effort from the referees, players, and the medics that saved his life.
If a similar incident happened in the Indian Super League, do the organizers have an infrastructure in place that could save a life? The answer is yes, the ISL follows the same medical structure as the tournaments organized by UEFA.
Every club in the ISL has a medical partner, and the selected hospital is within 15 minutes' distance of the match venue or the training facilities. All the 11 clubs in the league have a team doctor that accompanies them during training sessions and matchdays. All the training arenas and stadiums always have an ALS ambulance at their disposal for a medical emergency. The ambulance has all the advanced life support equipment such as a defibrillator, oxygen, Intravenous (IV) drip sets, emergency medicaments, and most importantly, trained medical personnel.
On matchdays, the venue has three ALS ambulances and a 22-member well-equipped medical team that is divided into two rapid units which are spread along the sides of the pitch. Each stadium has a player medical room which is again fully equipped with advanced life-saving equipment. And for the health concern of the fans present at the venue, there are First-Aid kiosks set up.
It is mandatory for the ambulance drivers to sit in the vehicle all the time, and until the ambulance is present on the ground, the match cannot begin. In case the ambulance does not arrive, the away team is given all three points.
The death of Cristiano Jr. in the 2004 Federation Cup final, was an alarm for the Indian Sports authorities. In the 2019 ISL playoffs, Federico Gallejo was rushed to the hospital after he was caught by Miku's trailing leg. Amay Ranawade suffered a concussion during the 2021 ISL final, and was given immediate medical treatment on the pitch, and was transferred to a hospital for full assessments. The medical team in the ISL has always acted in no time, to safeguard the health of a player during an emergency on the field.
The organizers of the ISL have always kept the safety of the players as a priority, and if an incident like Christian Eriksen's collapse happens in India, the life of a player could be saved.
