Heartbreak as 20-year-old footballer dies following cardiac arrest during training session

HEARTBREAKING news coming out of South America following the sudden cardiac arrest death of a young footballer.

Djouby Laura, a 20-year-old footballer who played for USC Roura, died of a cardiac arrest he suffered during the club’s training session late on Thursday, August 11. Tributes have continued to pour in on Saturday, August 13.

The striker was taking part in a training session at the Cimonard Urbain stadium when he went into cardiac arrest.

Despite the arrival of emergency services, who performed CPR on the young man, Djouby was pronounced dead at the scene.

Djouby Laura had been at the club since he was 12 years old and had started playing for the senior team two years ago, according to local media reports.

He was one of the senior side’s youngest players. He turned 20 on August 3.

Jean-Claude Labrador, mayor of Roura, a commune of French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France located in South America, said: “He felt unwell, despite the care given by the on-site management and the firefighters, he did not come back.”

“He had pain in his lower limbs and asked to stop the session to rest, which I advised him. A few minutes later, one of his friends told me that he was no longer answering,” said Emile Baal, senior coach of USC Roura, as reported by monewsguyane.com.

“He is a young person trained at USC Roura, within the club, since the age of 12,” Baal continued.

He added: “This year he was one of the pillars, one of the leaders of the senior group. He was working quietly and last night this tragic accident.

“He was with all his friends from the Mogès district. We’re in shock, it’s really tragic, we’re still in shock, it’s like a son.”

Tributes poured into Facebook following news of the young footballer’s death.

“This is sad! Sincere condolences to the family and loved ones,” one person said.

Another said: “Sincere condolences to the family, strength and courage to them.”

“My condolences to the family and peace to his soul,” wrote another.

The news of Djouby Laura’s death comes months after other footballers died of similar causes.

On Saturday, August 6, Cristian Cáceres, a 38-year-old goalkeeper who played for the Union Cordillera de Chapilcha senior team, suffered a heart attack during his side’s game.

Prior to that, Fabricio Navarro, a young footballer from Argentinian club Atlético Tucumán, died of a heart attack on Wednesday, June 15.

The death of Cristian Cáceres and Fabricio Navarro followed a spate of sudden-death heart attacks that struck numerous footballers over the past year.

On December 22, Oman international Mukhaled Al-Raqadi died aged 29 after he collapsed during the warm-up before his side’s Omantel League game following a heart attack.

Marin Cacic collapsed during a training session and was rushed to hospital where he was placed into a coma before he later died aged 23 after suffering a heart attack.

On Monday, January 3, 25-year-old Marcos Menaldo died after collapsing at the end of a training session for his club, Deportivo Marquense of Guatemala.

Another professional football player from Oman, Munther Al-Harassi, 30, who played for Al Rustaq FC, died following a heart attack in training on Saturday, January 22.

On February 2, 21-year-old Greek footballer Alexandros Lampis suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed 5 minutes into the game as his side Ilioupoli faced off against A.E. Ermoinida in the Gamma Ethniki league.

The stadium had no defibrillator on-site and an ambulance took 20 minutes to arrive. Sadly, by the time they tried to resuscitate him on the pitch, it was too late and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Sunday, March 20, 22-year-old Michel Almanza collapsed on the pitch after he suffered a heart attack in the middle of the game between the club Decano Carolino and Jamaica in Maldonado, Uruguay.

Promising young footballer Debojyoti Ghosh died of a heart attack during a game on Saturday, March 19.

25-year-old Ghosh, who was seen as a promising central midfielder, was playing a tournament match between Nababdwip Sevak Samity and Krishnanagar Central at Dhubulia Belpukur Ground in West Bengal, India when he collapsed unconscious on the pitch after the ball struck his chest towards the end of the game.

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