Muamba suffered a cardiac arrest and was rushed to a specialist hospital, his condition described as critical.
Luckily, we are told, there was even a specialist who ran from the stands to help save Muamba’s life. I quickly wished there were such people when the country lost lives in separate incidents at soccer matches.
I remember former Flames player Christopher John Banda—who died at a ground in Lilongwe during a social match. I also remember Patrick Mvula, the promising youngster from Mulanje, who died playing soccer at Kanjedza ground in Limbe.
So did Cameroon’s Mac Vivien Foe die fighting for the Indomitable Lions.
Today, players across England are said to be flocking to hospitals for checkups and the FA is said to have started moving with speed, working on improvements to medical checkups on players.
Manchester City manager, Roberto Mancini, has called for intensified medical checkups on players too.
My only hope is that Malawi is looking the issue with interest, making sure we do all within our means to minimise chances of such deaths in sports.
It is high time the country did the best for our entertainers-footballers, singers, actors, dancers and all.
It would be sad to have one of these collapses in action.
I can, with my hand on my heart, say without fear of any contradiction that many soccer matches —competitive or otherwise —take place kilometres away from even the simplest of first aid kits.
It is even worse with drama, dances or other kinds of entertainment.
Entertainment is a good break from the usual unpleasant drama that our politics of hatred forces on us.
Muamba’s situation can happen to our performers who spend over two hours on stage. We must do all we can to prevent any misfortunes from happening to our entertainers in action.
