Football FA Faces Calls for Mandatory Cardiac Training

Following the tragic death of 17-year-old Adam Ankers, a coroner has recommended mandatory training for football coaches and referees to identify signs of sudden cardiac arrest. Ankers collapsed during a Wycombe Wanderers under-19 match in January 2024 and later died in hospital, with the inquest concluding there was a "missed opportunity" to save him. Assistant coroner Valerie Charbit noted that ordinary people struggle to recognize cardiac arrest symptoms. The original inquest heard that while a defibrillator was present, no one used it due to uncertainty about its safety. The Football Association (FA) currently offers a free online module for recognizing and responding to cardiac arrest. Charbit emphasized that this training should be compulsory for all members, including grassroots participants, dismissing concerns that it might burden child referees by stating first aid is a societal responsibility. She acknowledged the FA's challenge in training 185,000 coaches but deemed it necessary to prevent further fatalities. Charbit's prevention of future deaths report highlighted difficulties for both the public and ambulance call handlers in identifying cardiac arrest and agonal breathing, a symptom Adam experienced. She expressed hope that her report would contribute to preventing similar incidents.