A first-division Italian soccer match was abandoned on Sunday after a 24-year-old player suddenly collapsed with chest pains.
The match, a Serie A game between Roma and Udinese, was called off after defender Evan Ndicka fell to the ground in the 72nd minute and was taken off on a stretcher.
Following his collapse, Roma’s medical staff and emergency services came onto the field, and following discussions with the referee the, the match was abandoned.
Live Italian Serie A match suspended as Roma player N’Dicka suffers another ‘coincidence’ off the ball & is stretchered off.
At what point do athletes start demanding answers as to what’s happening?
Hopefully he’ll be ok. pic.twitter.com/t4C9YHzF7Q
— Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) April 14, 2024
In a statement on the X platform following his hospitalization, Roma confirmed he was undergoing tests in hospital.
“The team visited Ndicka in hospital,” the post read. “Evan feels better and is in good spirits. He will remain under observation for tests in hospital.”
La squadra ha fatto visita a Ndicka in ospedale.
Evan si sente meglio ed è di buon umore. Resterà in osservazione per accertamenti in ospedale.
Forza Evan! #ASRoma pic.twitter.com/M2PfNeqOoq
— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) April 14, 2024
The remainder of the match will now be played at a later date.
Last December, another top-flight match between English Premier League teams Bournemouth and Luton Town was also suspended after the latter’s 29-year-old captain, Tom Lockyer, collapsed without any contact with other players.
We all hope and pray for our leader and captain Tom Lockyer, who is thankfully responsive and has been taken to hospital.
We don’t know the full extent of what happened and what the next steps are at this stage, but we thank Bournemouth and the medical staff on both sides for… pic.twitter.com/pPCuB9ROju
— Luton Town FC (@LutonTown) December 16, 2023
It was later confirmed that he had suffered from a cardiac arrest and had had an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) device fitted.
