Sports Kills?

From time to time we had read or listen to news that there are people died while participating in sports. There are people killed on the playing field, on racing tracks, running a marathon etc. These people are killed either due to accidents or in certain cases physiological failure such as heart attacks. It is not uncommon people died from heart failure during sports especially if one is not fit enough to play that particular sport. Some sports demands a high fitness level and age can be one of the determining factor.

So, if there are people killed or died during sports performances or activities, does that means sports kills? I think we cannot point our finger and say that sports kills. Yes! everybody will die in the end. Only the cause, reason and location of death is not known to everybody until after one dies.

I still remember during one sports seminar, there is a question raised he  why participate in sports because it can kill. This question was raised after the death of a school boy participating in his school’s cross country race. He might not be lucky to leave that way and at a very young age, but God loves him more. The answer to the particular question is does people who did not participate in sports do not die? There are more people died out of sports than while participating in sports. So does sports kills?

What prompt me to write this posting is after reading this article/news in The Star online.  

Eight-year-old boy killed by goal post

IN a freak accident at a school field in Kepala Batas, Penang, an eight-year-old boy died after being pinned down by a toppled goal post,Harian Metro reported.

Bleeding from the nose and ears, Mohd Khairi Iskandar Onzek was rushed to the district hospital by a teacher and later transferred to the Penang Hospital for further treatment.

He succumbed to head and internal injuries on Wednesday, two days after the incident

Shahizan Mohd Said, 29, said just a few days before the incident, his nephew had returned home in a cheerful mood because he had obtained second place in the school examination.

He told the paper that the accident occurred on Monday afternoon when his nephew fell in front of the goal post, which also toppled at that time and fell onto him.
“He lost a lot of blood and the doctor treating him said his death was due to damage to his brain and nerves,” said Shahizan

He must just be unlucky that the goalpost had to fall on him when there are many more of his friends playing at the same time. It might fated on him, but still the accident can be prevented if safety precautions were taken.

When I was a coach back in the 80s, my school received a goal post delivered by a contractor. The built of the goal post is so poor that the bar is supported by the upright only with one screw. After setting up the team try out and the goal post came crumbling down after being hit by the ball. So when the post was re erected, the goal keeper can’t concentrate on the game anymore but distracted by the goalpost.

How many people involve in sports take safety as the most important component in sports? Culturally most sports participants do not take sports safety as utmost important but grouse about injury after it happens. During my lecture in Sports Science I use to tell participants that injury to a sportsmen is the beginning to an end of his sporting career. Footballers with knee injury will not be able to play at a level prior to his injury. Locally Akmal Rizal is a good example. He was deemed to be one of the best player to play for the country after late Mokhtar Dahari but his knee injury stop him short on the track. We have Mohd Malik Tobias and  Nasmizan in track and field. Malik Tobias only manage to take one Gold medal in the Brunei Sea Games before injury stops him from competition. Nasmizan experience hamstring injury and he too has to leave the century sprint.

How serious do coaches, athletes and participants in sports take safety? Besides safety of sports equipment and sports attire, physical safety too must not be neglected. How many people (especially laymen) do a proper warm up before playing? How many people wear proper attire especially shoes that suit to the activity. They wear what suits their wallet.
To play sports, everyone of us must remember SAFETY FIRST.