Gregory Mertens Passes Away

micknick · April 30, 2015

Sad news that 24 year old Gregory Mertens has passed away 3 days after collasing with heart failure.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32537425

Gregory Mertens dies after on-pitch collapse
Belgian footballer Gregory Mertens has died of heart failure, three days after collapsing during a match.

The 24-year-old Lokeren player was given CPR during the first half of Monday's reserve-team game with Genk but did not recover after spending time in hospital on a life-support machine.

A club statement said: "The medical staff have done everything to save Gregory, but they finally had to acknowledge their impotence.

"Gregory passed away at around 16:30."

Huyton Layne · April 30, 2015

Sad news. He was fitness tested not long ago and passed with flying colours. Way too young.

Ashtonian · April 30, 2015

absolutely shocking news. Your heart really goes out to everyone ove rthere including family and even his team mates.

you just hope they find solace in this dark time

ijjysmith · April 30, 2015

Very sad.

ste d' indica · April 30, 2015

Just heard about this, awful news.

Whistlin' Dixie · April 30, 2015

God rest him. Musta been bloody awful bein present & seeing a young fit lad just collapse right out of the blue like that.

We just don't know the minute......Here by God's grace.

Mikey_Fitzgerald · April 30, 2015

This is like the third or fourth time in past few years that a footballer has had serious heart issues

Training methods used by clubs need to be looked at

Rest in Peace

Whistlin' Dixie · April 30, 2015

Mikey_Fitzgerald said:
This is like the third or fourth time in past few years that a footballer has had serious heart issues

Training methods used by clubs need to be looked at

Rest in Peace

Layne said:
Sad news. He was fitness tested not long ago and passed with flying colours. Way too young.

Just one of those things, it appears.

MikeH72 · April 30, 2015

Stuff like this happening really bothers me. The heart is a scary thing. RIP

Deleted member 28206 · April 30, 2015

Christ

Brennan · April 30, 2015

Mikey_Fitzgerald said:
This is like the third or fourth time in past few years that a footballer has had serious heart issues

Training methods used by clubs need to be looked at

Rest in Peace

The training isn't to blame, it's the matches. Only way to stop it is to stop professional football.

Eggs · April 30, 2015

Mikey_Fitzgerald said:
This is like the third or fourth time in past few years that a footballer has had serious heart issues

Training methods used by clubs need to be looked at

Rest in Peace

....I suspect it's often a hidden defect, surprising even in young professional athletes. I'm aware of a couple of Premiership players with known heart problems, their clubs accepting the risk involved. I also understand that a lot more screening goes on within clubs, especially since the Muamba incident. Sad, though.

davidloach · April 30, 2015

Some people are born with a disposition to irregular heart problems which are nearly impossible to detect. Some people never find out until it's too late, happened to my friend's uncle a few years ago.