Samuel Akwasi: Boy, 13, died after Nottingham football match collapse

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-65065947

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The match was being played at the Forest Recreation Ground in Nottingham

A 13-year-old boy died after collapsing during a football game when his heart stopped, an inquest heard.

Samuel Akwasi died in hospital after falling ill during a match at Nottingham's Forest Recreation Ground on 7 May last year.

The medical cause of death was given as "sudden cardiac death in a morphologically normal heart".

A coroner recommended defibrillators be in place in public parks and sports centres across Nottinghamshire.

The inquest at Nottingham Coroner's Court heard a Young Elizabethan Football League match between Mr Akwasi's FC Cavaliers and West Bridgford Rossoneri kicked off at 11:00 BST.

Elizabeth Didcock, assistant coroner, said the deceased "was fit and well" and had "no symptoms to suggest a heart problem in the days and weeks prior".

He scored a goal during the game, but at about 11:25 he collapsed, with other players alerting the referee and coaching staff.

A nurse whose son played for the opponents came to his aid and performed CPR, and defibrillators were sourced from a nearby cafe and sports centre.

Emergency services arrived at 11:42 and carried on with efforts to revive him before he was taken to the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham, but Mr Akwasi was pronounced dead at 13:42.

Nottingham City Council said it was "taking action" on issues raised by the coroner

A post-mortem examination found no sign of disease or infection.

Ms Didcock said Mr Akwasi had a patent ductus arteriosus, which is a small opening between blood vessels going from the heart, but said it had no involvement in his death.

"It was a small, persistent channel between the aorta and pulmonary artery that should have closed after birth, [but] it was not causing any problems for Sam," she said.

She said her conclusion regarding the death "is one of natural causes".

The inquest heard there had been "some confusion" regarding first aiders available at the match, and on the locations of the defibrillators at nearby sites.

Ms Didcock said there was "no significant delay in shocks being delivered once the cardiac arrest had occurred", but expressed "concern" over a lack of signage at the Forest Recreation Ground pointing out where the defibrillator was kept.

She said she would write to Nottingham City Council, which runs the site, and other authorities in Nottinghamshire to recommend all public parks and sports grounds have access to defibrillators that are clearly signposted, and called for nominated first aiders to be in put in place before matches.

'Push the message'

Following the inquest, Mr Akwasi's club said it hoped improvements could be made to keep players safe during matches.

Martin Hickey, secretary, welfare officer and development coach for FC Cavaliers, said he was "very much reassured" by the coroner's recommendations.

"I'm just hopeful it can be implemented as soon as possible," he said.

"It was a shock on the day, and it still remains with us."

Audra Wynter, portfolio holder for highways, transport and parks for Nottingham City Council, said the authority was "already in the process of taking action" on issues raised by the coroner, including installing new defibrillators that would be inspected weekly in its parks.

"Signs have been installed to direct people to the locations of all defibrillators at the Forest [Recreation Ground], and the standard defibrillator signage the coroner asked for will be installed next week," she said.

Rachael Wilks, Nottinghamshire FA's designated safeguarding officer, said work had been done to make clubs more aware of what to do in emergencies.

"We need to keep pushing the message, we need to make sure people can react to a situation and understand what to do," she said.

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