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| Heart defect killed rugby player | Heart defect killed rugby player |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A fit and apparently healthy rugby league player who collapsed and died during a match had a rare undiagnosed heart defect, an inquest has heard. | A fit and apparently healthy rugby league player who collapsed and died during a match had a rare undiagnosed heart defect, an inquest has heard. |
| Leon Walker, 20, from Morley, Leeds, could have died at any time according to the examining pathologist. | Leon Walker, 20, from Morley, Leeds, could have died at any time according to the examining pathologist. |
| The Wakefield Wildcats forward was tackled towards the end of a game with the Celtic Crusaders just before he collapsed in Maesteg, near Bridgend. | |
| The coroner, sitting at Aberdare, ruled that he died from natural causes. | The coroner, sitting at Aberdare, ruled that he died from natural causes. |
| A match doctor and other medics tried to resuscitate him and used a defibrillator to shock his heart, but it did not work. | A match doctor and other medics tried to resuscitate him and used a defibrillator to shock his heart, but it did not work. |
| He was airlifted to hospital in Swansea but could not be revived. | He was airlifted to hospital in Swansea but could not be revived. |
| A post-mortem examination revealed abnormalities to the coronary arteries. | A post-mortem examination revealed abnormalities to the coronary arteries. |
| Consultant surgeon Richard Johnson, who tried to revive him, told the inquest the player suddenly collapsed on the pitch. | Consultant surgeon Richard Johnson, who tried to revive him, told the inquest the player suddenly collapsed on the pitch. |
| He was a fit and active young man and that makes it more difficult to come to terms with Peter Maddox, coroner | He was a fit and active young man and that makes it more difficult to come to terms with Peter Maddox, coroner |
| Two opposing players were involved in the tackle - one person goes in high, one goes in low," he said. | Two opposing players were involved in the tackle - one person goes in high, one goes in low," he said. |
| "To start with his breathing was laboured and he had a pulse but then it dropped. | "To start with his breathing was laboured and he had a pulse but then it dropped. |
| "We gave CPR, oxygen and used a defibrillator to try to shock his heart into beating. But it did not work." | "We gave CPR, oxygen and used a defibrillator to try to shock his heart into beating. But it did not work." |
| Pathologist Richard Jones said Mr Walker had an abnormality which would have been present from birth, symptomless, and not detected in routine medicals. | Pathologist Richard Jones said Mr Walker had an abnormality which would have been present from birth, symptomless, and not detected in routine medicals. |
| "He had a flap of tissue which blocked the opening of his heart during rigorous exercise. | "He had a flap of tissue which blocked the opening of his heart during rigorous exercise. |
| "The right coronary artery followed a strange and precarious course through big blood vessels. | "The right coronary artery followed a strange and precarious course through big blood vessels. |
| "When it expanded and contracted during exercise the artery would become squashed reducing the amount of oxygenated blood to the heart. | "When it expanded and contracted during exercise the artery would become squashed reducing the amount of oxygenated blood to the heart. |
| "In Leon's case this would have caused an abnormal rhythm and this led to his heart attack." | "In Leon's case this would have caused an abnormal rhythm and this led to his heart attack." |
| He added: "Death could have occurred at any time but the risk was increased during exertion or exercise." | He added: "Death could have occurred at any time but the risk was increased during exertion or exercise." |
| 'No rhyme nor reason' | 'No rhyme nor reason' |
| As part of their investigation, police watched a DVD of the match between the reserve teams, which showed the tackle in the 63rd minute of the match, but decided there were no suspicious circumstances. | As part of their investigation, police watched a DVD of the match between the reserve teams, which showed the tackle in the 63rd minute of the match, but decided there were no suspicious circumstances. |
| The player had signed for Wakefield in November 2008 and had spent three years previously at Salford City Reds. He had represented Yorkshire and England in 2007. | The player had signed for Wakefield in November 2008 and had spent three years previously at Salford City Reds. He had represented Yorkshire and England in 2007. |
| Coroner Peter Maddox said: "This is an absolute tragedy for Leon's family and friends in the sport that he left behind. | Coroner Peter Maddox said: "This is an absolute tragedy for Leon's family and friends in the sport that he left behind. |
| "But they may take comfort because he died playing the game he loved - rugby league. | "But they may take comfort because he died playing the game he loved - rugby league. |
| "He was a fit and active young man and that makes it more difficult to come to terms with. | "He was a fit and active young man and that makes it more difficult to come to terms with. |
| "There was no rhyme nor reason as to why it happened on that particular day." | "There was no rhyme nor reason as to why it happened on that particular day." |