Football refs need cardiac training, says coroner

Football refs need cardiac training, says coroner25 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleLewis AdamsPA MediaAdam Ankers collapsed while playing football and died in hospital days laterFootball coaches and referees should receive mandatory training to identify signs of sudden cardiac arrest, a coroner has urged.The recommendation followed an inquest that concluded there was a "missed opportunity" to save Adam Ankers, 17, who collapsed while playing for Wycombe Wanderers' under-19s in January 2024.Assistant coroner Valerie Charbit told West London Coroner's Court on Tuesday that ordinary people struggled to recognise the symptoms of cardiac arrest.But in submissions to the virtual hearing, the Football Association (FA) argued making training obligatory could exclude children from refereeing.The original inquest into Adam's death heard a defibrillator was brought on to the pitch, but no-one used it to save his life because there was confusion as to whether it was safe to use.The FA offers a free, online module "designed to help recognise a sudden cardiac arrest and respond appropriately", according to its website.At Tuesday's hearing, Charbit insisted this should be compulsory and extend to all members, including grassroots coaches and referees.She dismissed the FA's concern about child referees potentially having to deliver life-saving care, saying: "The responsibility for first aid lies with all ages within society."Charbit also said difficulties for the FA in training 185,000 coaches were outweighed by the number of lives that could be saved.Adam was playing football on 31 January 2024 when he collapsed during the second half.He died in hospital on 4 February that year, after it was found he had suffered unsurvivable brain damage.Charbit ruled a failure to spot Adam was suffering from cardiac arrest "more than minimally" contributed to his death.Getty ImagesMatt Bloomfield, who was Wycombe Wan...