PROBE LAUNCHED INTO YOUNG FOOTBALLER’S DEATH

Education and Youth Minister Ruel Reid said the ministry is “interested” in finding out whether there were any breaches of safety guidelines for students involved in contact sports.
The Government is to open a formal investigation into the death of high school footballer Dominic James.
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Education and Youth Minister Ruel Reid said the ministry is “interested” in finding out whether there were any breaches of safety guidelines for students involved in contact sports.

James, captain of the St George’s College Manning Cup team, died on Tuesday after collapsing on the Stadium East Field in Kingston during a match against Excelsior High.

There was no stretcher or ambulance at the match.

Opposition Senator Mark Golding questioned Reid about whether the Government intended to formally probe how James died to determine if anyone should be held accountable and how to address gaps in protocols.

Senate President Tom Tavares Finson cautioned that he would intervene if Golding’s query introduced a debate on who should be blamed for the death.

Golding rejected the comments after which Reid confirmed that the ministry will be investigating the circumstances of the 18-year-old’s death.

Meanwhile, the education and youth minister said an inter-ministerial taskforce is to be established to develop “crucial protocols and guidelines, training and capacity building, also fundamental regulation and the enforcement and mobilisation of resources” to protect students in sports.

That taskforce is to be convened by Sports Minister, Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange.

Meanwhile, Reid noted that the education ministry has had a safety manual for contact sports since 2008.

The Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) has been looking into the circumstances of the death, but that body is not a State entity.

8 thoughts on “PROBE LAUNCHED INTO YOUNG FOOTBALLER’S DEATH

  1. ISSA have/mek nuff money from Boys & Girls Champs alone so dem can do better at these matches, plus dem heavily sponsored. It was a sad picture to see the young man father a lift hm up and put him into his own vehicle fi drive go hospital. Did anyone there know how to perform CPR? I feel it for the poor parents, dem one pitney gone. Everytime mi watch Coach Bell wid him knapsack, boots etc mi bawl too.
    Sleep in Peace Dominic

  2. First of all, there are very few ambulances available in Jamaica and it is impractical to have the few ambulances available to be tied up at each football matches. It is not clear that the lack of an ambulance is what ultimately led to the death of this football player. There was a team doctor on hand at the game to render first aid and the player die anyway.

    What needs to be done is that these athletes need comprehensive screening before they are allowed to play. Even that will not prevent players from having serious health problems surfacing in between proper screening. These things happen and there is very little that one can do to prevent circumstances like these from occurring. Happens in the USA frequently, where pre-screening is a requirement. Bottom line, the kid died do what he loves best!

    1. exactly he had a pre existing condition that was not diagnosed. an ambulance would not have saved him. his condition could only have been diagnosed if an echo of his heart had been done. and as he appeared to be in good health one would not have been done on him

  3. Somebody always have to die in order for change to come.So sad.The whole system in jamaica need a over haul from top to bottom.These are primitive times now it’s 2016 jamaica system and government need to bring up to speed.Health care need to be a priority on all levels.First responders with life saving equipment is so necessary.We dealing with human life.
    Rip young man.I pray your family gets the strength to carry on and help make a change.

  4. Sudden death in athletes not that uncommon. A tragedy none the less it is one of the saddest things I have seen in a long while. I hope his parents find comfort quickly

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