Soccer player dies after cardiac arrest

POLOKWANE, SOUTH AFRICA - APRIL 21, Ball during the Absa Premiership match between SuperSport United and Ajax Cape Town at Peter Mokaba Stadium on April 21, 2012 in Polokwane, South Africa Photo by Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images

POLOKWANE, SOUTH AFRICA - APRIL 21, Ball during the Absa Premiership match between SuperSport United and Ajax Cape Town at Peter Mokaba Stadium on April 21, 2012 in Polokwane, South Africa Photo by Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images

Published Sep 3, 2012

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Stockholm – A 29-year-old Swedish soccer player collapsed and died of a suspected cardiac arrest, minutes after giving his team the lead in a league match on Sunday.

Pitea player Victor Brannstrom had scored after just four minutes against Umedalen in their Division Two North clash on Sunday when he suddenly sat down and slumped over, according to local newspaper Norrlandska Socialdemokraten.

A kit man and nurse immediately administered CPR to the player until three ambulances arrived and Brannstrom was taken to Pitea hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 4pm.

“It is completely incomprehensible. It is so tragic. This is the hardest thing I have experienced,” Pitea vice-chariman Christer Berglund is quoted as saying.

Brannstrom, who had previously played for Helsingborg in Sweden's top flight, had retired from the sport in January following a similar collapse but returned to action when tests indicated he had no serious heart problems.

“That also feels so damn tough but we didn't persuade him to make a comeback – Victor wanted to play himself. He trained and it went well for him,” Berglund added.

Pitea hospital said that the player's heart had stopped and that there would be a post-mortem to establish the exact cause of death. – Reuters

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