AED Plus Helps Save Afghan Soccer Player’s Life

January 2, 2014 - During the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship semi-final in Nepal, Afghanistan defender Farzad Ghulam collapsed from sudden cardiac arrest when he went up for an aerial challenge against Nepal’s Bharat Khawas.

Less than a minute later, the competition’s doctor was at his side. He used an AED Plus^® and CPR to successfully revive Ghulam, who was taken by ambulance to the hospital. A series of tests were administered on the player, but did not reveal an underlying cause.

Medics and first responders at FIFA matches are trained to use AEDs and perform CPR. “Global use of defibrillators is one of the highest priorities for FIFA in our battle to prevent sudden cardiac death on the pitch,” said Michel d’Hooghe, chairman of the FIFA (world soccer’s governing body) Medical Committee.