The safety measures of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) is under the microscope following the death of Jamaica schoolboy footballer Dominic James who collapsed during a Manning Cup game yesterday.
According to the Jamaica Observer, “Captain of St George’s College Manning Cup team Dominic James was pronounced dead at hospital after collapsing on the field two minutes into their game against Excelsior High school. The moment James fell to the ground players reacted quickly and frantically signalled for medical assistance.
James was motionless for a few minutes and was rushed to hospital. A member of the Excelsior medical staff said that he appeared to have suffered from a seizure.” James, one of the most talented Jamaican schoolboy footballers, was taken to the hospital by his father. In an interview with the Newsday yesterday first vice-president of the SSFL William Wallace sent condolences to the Secondary Schools League in Jamaica.
He said, “As a league we empathise with the situation. We want to send condolences to the parents of the young man and I hope that the league would look at ways of probably making sure things like this don’t happen in the future.” The fifth round of the SSFL will kick off today and questions are now being raised about the safety of the young footballers in TT .
Wallace said it is difficult to deal with a situation when somebody suddenly collapses and dies. Wallace added the League will have to put more safety measures in place.
He said: “The thing is the person collapsed and died so I am not sure whether how much safety we could have put in place or anybody could put in place to deal with that. However, it is something that we would have to definitely take into consideration whether it is we get persons doing medicals before they embark on playing for their schools.” According to Wallace, medical testing for heart problems and other issues are not mandatory for players but said this is something that needs to be reviewed.
Another concerning situation is the lack of paramedics at SSFL games. Players are sometimes stretchered off the field by teammates after getting injured which has raised eyebrows. At the match in Jamaica yesterday, there were no paramedics present to treat James.
Concerning this matter, Wallace said: “Each school supposed to have armed personnel such as a physio to deal with players who are injured on the field of play.
Each school supposed to provide a stretcher and before the game they will decide who are the stretcher bearers.” The SSFL is now heavily sponsored with Shell and First Citizens the title sponsors and SportsMax and CNC3 now televising matches live.
Asked whether it is possible to have ambulances during matches with added sponsorship, Wallace said, “Again that is something the League will have to look at. In one day if you look at all the various divisions, if you look at the Championship and the Premiership Division that is a large number of games taking place. That is something we may have to look at budgeting for.”
Wallace is wondering if there are enough ambulances in TT to service the league with so many matches taking place simultaneously.
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