Amateur Soccer Player Dies After Being Struck in the Chest in Salta
A 72-year-old amateur soccer player died Saturday after collapsing during a match in the northern Argentine city of Salta, according to an emergency report detailed by Infobae. Witnesses told provincial police that the man had been struck in the chest by the ball just minutes before he lost consciousness on the pitch.
The incident took place at a sports complex located on Ibazeta Street near the Delmi stadium. Emergency services received a 911 call reporting an unresponsive man at the facility and dispatched local police units to the scene.
Responding officers found the player unconscious and without a pulse, prompting bystanders and teammates to initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation while waiting for professional medical help. The Salta Police department reported that the man showed slight signs of recovery during initial aid before emergency medical personnel from SAMEC took over the rescue operation.
Paramedics Transfer Collapsing Player to Hospital San Bernardo
Paramedics ordered an emergency transfer under a code red protocol to the Hospital San Bernardo. According to local reporting from El Tribuno cited in the emergency logs, the player had initially walked off the pitch to sit on the sidelines after taking the blow to the chest before collapsing entirely.
Medical staff at the hospital confirmed the man’s death upon arrival at the emergency ward. The official police report attributed the fatality to a cardiorespiratory arrest.
Broader Pattern of Fatalities in Regional Amateur Matches
The death in Salta marks the fifth fatality recorded in Argentina in circumstances involving players suffering medical emergencies during amateur sporting events. The sources note that while previous incidents involved players suffering sudden decompensation during active play without prior trauma, this case followed a direct impact to the chest area.
Similar tragedies have struck other Argentine provinces in recent months. On September 6, veteran player Gerardo Manghi died after collapsing during a tournament match in Rodeo, a town in the Iglesia department of San Juan province. Manghi, known locally as the “Gringo del Mate,” was playing for Bajo Colola against Bella Vista FC when he fell on the pitch during the second phase of the match.
Medical staff at the Tomás Perón Hospital in Rodeo attempted resuscitation efforts following his transfer from the Los Coloraditos sports ground, but were unable to revive him. Another fatality occurred in Córdoba, where a player suffered a critical medical emergency at a facility on Puesto de Masa street in the La Dorotea neighborhood. Emergency personnel transferred that patient to the Talleres Oeste rapid-attention hospital, where he was pronounced dead despite resuscitation efforts. The sources add prior local incidents involving amateur players, including a man of 51, a player of 62, and a young man of 23, earlier in the year.
Answers to Questions About the Salta Sports Facility Fatality
Where did the incident in Salta occur? The emergency took place at a sports facility located on Ibazeta Street at the 900 block, near the Delmi stadium in Salta, Argentina.
What medical cause was listed for the fatality? Hospital authorities at the Hospital San Bernardo attributed the cause of death to a cardiorespiratory arrest following emergency transport.
How many similar incidents have been recorded recently? Provincial reporting indicates that five individuals have died under medical emergency circumstances during amateur sports matches across the region.
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