Sunday 18 March 2012

BBC Sport - Fabrice Muamba remains in critical condition in intensive care

Fabrice Muamba remains in critical condition in intensive care

Bolton's Fabrice Muamba is critically ill and will remain in intensive care until at least Monday morning.

The midfielder, 23, is at the London Chest Hospital's heart attack centre after suffering a cardiac arrest during Saturday's FA Cup tie at Tottenham.

A joint statement from the club and hospital on Sunday at 1100 GMT said: "Fabrice Muamba remains in a critical condition in intensive care.

"As is normal, he remains anaesthetised and will be for at least 24 hours."

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Bolton's Gary Coyle and Phil Gartside express their thanks for the messages of support

The statement added: "Fabrice received prolonged resuscitation at the ground [White Hart Lane] and en route to the London Chest Hospital, where his heart eventually started working. His condition continues to be closely monitored by the cardiac specialists."

Speaking outside the hospital on Sunday afternoon, Bolton manager Owen Coyle said: "From our end, and on behalf of the family, we certainly want to say thanks to everybody.

"Everybody is praying for Fabrice which is very important and that has been a real source of strength to the family.

"We know it's such a difficult time for everybody involved, our thoughts are with Fabrice's family."

Coyle had earlier stated: "It's very serious. There's no getting away from that. God willing, he makes it through."

Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside added: "The support that we had yesterday from Tottenham and our own fans was fantastic - the staff, the fans, the players and the officials at the game - it was unbelievable."

Bolton's Premier League game at Aston Villa on Tuesday night has been postponed.

Medics spent six minutes trying to resuscitate the former England Under-21 international on the pitch after he fell to the ground with no other players around him.

MUAMBA FACTFILE

  • Born on 6 April 1988 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Progressed through Arsenal's youth academy, representing England at every level from under-16 to under-21
  • Joined Birmingham in 2007, having been there on loan previously, then moved to Bolton the following year
  • Appeared at the 2011 European Under-21 Championship in Denmark for England Under-21s, for whom he made 33 appearances

The score was 1-1 when the quarter-final was abandoned after 41 minutes.

In a statement released on Sunday Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said: "Our thoughts are with Fabrice's family and Bolton Wanderers, and we are all willing him to pull through. Events such as this put everything into perspective.

"We are immensely proud and grateful to the medical teams at both clubs, their response was immediate and professional. Our thanks also to both sets of fans for their support and behaviour.

"Too often we read the negatives about football and yet last night, at a time of intense emergency and uncertainty, we saw the true humanity and empathy of the footballing family."

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp said: "All our thoughts are with Fabrice, his family, Owen Coyle and the club. It was the right decision to abandon the game - everybody was in a state of shock and it wouldn't have been right to carry on.

"Football is the last thing on anyone's mind when an awful situation such as this happens. All we are thinking about now is Fabrice and his family."

Members of Muamba's family and his fiancee attended the hospital on Saturday night.

PLAYERS' MESSAGES ON TWITTER

"Praying for you Fab. Hope he's OK. Thoughts with him and his family. For all those asking, I know as much as you do. Waiting anxiously for updates from teammates. Fab is a fighter!" Bolton midfielder Stuart Holden 

"Pray for Fab. God willing he will pull through." Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe 

"All our hearts with Fabrice Muamba, one of my closest friends at Bolton. I'm shocked, wishing him a fast recovery." Wigan's former Bolton goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi 

"Hope Fabrice Muamba is OK. Praying for him and his family. Still in shock." Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney 

"Doesn't matter who you support. Doesn't matter if you aren't a football fan. Doesn't matter if you aren't religious. Pray for Fabrice Muamba." Tottenham defender Kyle Walker 

"I'm so sad about what happened to Fabrice Muamba today. Played with him for a couple of years. What a great guy. Always a smile on his face. Please Fabrice bring that smile back. My thoughts are with you and your lovely family!" Arsenal captain Robin van Persie 

Medical staff gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to Muamba, who was born in Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) but moved to England aged 11, and tried to revive him with a defibrillator.

In total, six medics were treating the player, who joined Wanderers from Birmingham in 2008 and has made 148 appearances for the club.

Both sets of supporters chanted Muamba's name as he was taken off the pitch on a stretcher. ESPN, who were broadcasting the match, reported that he was not breathing as he was taken into the tunnel.

Referee Howard Webb called the visibly shaken players off the field after consulting with Coyle and Redknapp.

After Muamba had been taken to hospital, the match was abandoned.

The former Arsenal midfielder was accompanied in the ambulance by Coyle and club captain Kevin Davies.

Football Focus presenter Dan Walker had an exchange of text messages with Davies on Saturday evening.

"Encouragingly, he [Davies] said Fabrice is showing real fight which is the best possible news," Walker said.

"Kevin says he is not giving up and he's digging in and showing a bit of battle.

"The fact they got him breathing again makes you marvel at the work these paramedics, doctors and nurses do."

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BBC 5 Live's Ian Dennis, who was commentating on the game, describes what he saw

BBC Radio 5 live's chief football reporter Ian Dennis, who was covering the game at White Hart Lane, witnessed medics rushing to aid Muamba.

"When the medical staff arrived his face was on the turf," he said.

"You could see them using a defibrillator and he was [electronically] charged on at least two occasions. Everyone could see Fabrice Muamba was fighting for his life.

"If he does pull through it will be down to the quick actions of the medics."

via bbc.co.uk

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