Product: TOIBangaloreBS
PubDate: 22-03-2012 Zone: BangaloreCity
Edition: 1
Page: TOIBGTS2 User: ssridhar0207 Time: 03-21-2012
K Y M 23:49 Color: C
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TIMES SPORT
THE TIMES OF INDIA, BANGALORE THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
Messi: from a scrawny kid in Argentina to world’s top star being followed by a fourth for 2012 — and it is only March. The Catalan club are through to the last eight of this season's Champions League and will play the King's Cup final against Athletic Bilbao in May though they are five points behind Real Madrid in the Spanish Primera Liga with 10 matches left. Messi was again at his best on Tuesday and scored a sublime hat-trick in Barcelona's 5-3 league win over Granada at the Nou Camp to cruise past Cesar Rodriguez on the club's all-time scoring list. The diminutive forward, who has now netted 34 league goals and 54 in all competitions this season, needed 314 games to break the record, while Cesar scored his 232 goals in 354 official matches. “Messi is sat at the same table as the best in history because he was won important
Buenos Aires: Lionel Messi, a scrawny kid turned away by River Plate in 2000 despite being described by one of the club's youth coaches as a mixture of Omar Sivori and Diego Maradona, set a Barcelona scoring record of 234 goals at the age of only 24 on Tuesday. Barca's faith in their ability to groom the lad from Rosario for their first team and
THE RISE OF A STAR transform him into the world's best player has paid off while River have been left to rue not making him theirs. Messi has won 18 titles in his eight seasons in Barca — three Champions Leagues, five La Ligas, one King's Cup, two European Super Cups, five Spanish Super Cups and two Club World Cups. Three World Player of the Year awards in a row look like
CRUCIAL MOMENTS IN MESSI'S BARCELONA CAREER FIRST OFFICIAL GOAL Messi netted his first goal for Barca in official competition on May 1, 2005 at the age of 17 years, 10 months and seven days in a league game against Albacete at the Nou Camp.
HAT-TRICK AGAINST REAL Messi has score several brilliant goals against Barca's arch -rivals, including a wonderful solo effort in last season's Champions League semifinals, but his treble at the Nou Camp in March 2007 was extra special.
EMULATING MARADONA Messi's status as a possible successor to his compatriot Diego Maradona was enhanced in a Spanish King's Cup match against Getafe in April 2007 when he scored a breathtaking
goal reminiscent of Maradona's effort for Argentina against England at the 1986 World Cup.
CHAMPS LEAGUE HAULS Messi has been top-scorer in Europe's elite club competition the past three seasons and is leading the way again this term on 12 goals to take his career total to 49 in 64 games.
BIG-GAME SHOWS Messi has a useful habit of producing in the big games for Barca, as he proved in the Champions League semifinal first leg against Real last season. He scored a goal in each of the 2009 and 2011 finals, both against Manchester United, both times against the legendary Dutch goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar. AGENCIES
titles, because he has three Ballon d'Or awards and he will be the one who wins the most because being the player he is he can achieve more,” Johan Cruyff was quoted as saying in the Barca's club magazine. “Messi is by far the best player in the world,” added the Dutchman, who won European titles with Barcelona as a player and coach and three World Player awards. “He is incomparable, he plays in a different league.” Yet winning over fans in his home country has been harder work for Messi than his exploits for his club, where he is almost never questioned except perhaps on the increasingly rare occasions when he fails to find the net. Messi went more than 30 months between March 2009 and October 2011 without a goal for Argentina in a competitive international but the
men blamed for this are national coaches unable to build a team around him. South Americans have always shone in Europe's elite cup competition and Messi displayed his pedigree by becoming the first player to score five goals in one Champs League match in the 7-1 demolition of Bayer Leverkusen this month. If Messi was once seen as a cross between Maradona and Italian-Argentine Sivori it is because he has the ball tied to his left foot like Maradona and the brilliance in front of goal of Sivori, Ballon d'Or winner in 1961. “When he came to train with the first team, I noticed he was different and that with time he would become a star,” Ronaldinho, another ex-Ballon d'Or winner, told the Barca magazine. “If he carries on the way he is going he could be the best in history.” AGENCIES
MESSI’S RIVALS CRISTIANO RONALDO 251(in 452 matches) For Sporting LIsbon: 5 in 31; for Manchester United 118 in 292; for Real Madrid 128 in 129. WAYNE ROONEY 191 (in 433 matches) For Everton: 17 in 77; for Manchester United: 174 in 356. Results: Spanish Primera Liga: Osasuna: 0 drew with Getafe: 0; Barcelona: 5 (Xavi 4, Messi 17, 67, 86, Tello 82) bt Granada: 3 (Mainz 55, Siqueira 62-pen, 89-pen). Italian Cup (semifinal; second-leg): Juventus: 2 (Del Piero 28, Vucinic 96) drew with AC Milan: 2 (Mesbah 51, Lopez 81) after extra time; Juventus win 4-3 on aggregate. English Premier League: Blackburn Rovers: 2 (Hoilett 58, Yakubu 86) bt Sunderland: 0. AGENCIES Photos: Syed Asif/ TOI
He Collapsed On Pitch, Didn’t Make It To Hospital
HEARTS BLEED
AS FOOTBALLER DIES Maxin Mathew
TNN
Bangalore: In a shocking incident that once again brought to light poor medical facilities provided for local football tournameVenkatesh nts, a 27year-old player died on Wednesday after collapsing at the Bangalore Football Stadium during a league match. Venkatesh, a midfielder for A-division side Bangalore Mars, came in as substitute in the 73rd minute before collapsing in the dying minutes of the match. The Bangalore District Football Association (BDFA), which annually organizes the Super ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ divisions, allegedly did not have a doctor on the field. A physio and players rushed in and tried standard medical procedures on Venkatesh, who by now was having fits, teammate Janardhan said. No ambulance was available. Though some BDFA members denied the allegation,
GONE TOO SOON team manager Shiva, also a BDFA member, said there was a tempo on standby at the eastern wing of the stadium. “The only reason we couldn’t get it out in time was that there were many two-wheelers parked around it,” he said. Players and officials carried Venkatesh in their arms off the field, hired an autorickshaw and rushed him to Hosmat Hospital, where the Gowthamapuram lad was declared brought dead. “There was no pulse or respiration. We gave him CPR and defibrillator shocks, but it was too late,” Hosmat vice-president Dr Ajith Benedict Royan said. Violence erupted at the stadium after friends and relatives of Venkatesh disrupted the Super Division match between ASC and ADE, throwing chairs onto the field demanding action. They plan to file a case against BDFA. Ashoknagar police registered a case of unnatural death. Preliminary autopsy reports agreed with Dr Royan’s suggestion that Venkatesh died of cardiac arrest. “There were no external injuries. This is also known as Sudden Death
FIFA safety guidelines not followed? Biju Babu Cyriac| TIMES NEWS NETWORK Bangalore: The third death on the football field in Bangalore in the last eight years clearly shows that organizers of football tournaments have not taken any of the safety guidelines seriously. The absence of any kind of emergency medical help at the Bangalore Football Stadium on Wednesday once again proved that the no one cares for players’ safety. “The player (Venkatesh) was brought dead and there were no signs of life,” said Dr Ajit Benedict Royan of Hosmat hospital which is located in the neighbouring compound of the football stadium. After Cristiano Junior’s death at the Sree Kanteerava stadium during the Federation Cup final there was lot of talk about the need of emergency medical care at the venue but Venkatesh’s death proves that nothing has really changed. “FIFA’s guidelines are clear on the need to have an ambulance, paramedics and defibrillators before the start of any match. Sadly we give zero importance to medical care. In most of the tournaments hardly any money is set apart for ensuring medical facilities. The latest death is another sad instance and I hope now at least our officials will learn a lesson,” leading sports medicine practitioner Dr PSM Chandran told TOI. Some of the players who watched the death of Venkatesh said the player was not fit for action. “He vomited before the start of the match and even the few minutes he played he could hardly run. Finally he came near the line and collapsed,” a player said. If this version is true then it is a clear violation of the FIFA guidelines on players’ health. “There are viruses that usually cause only a cold but sometimes an acute inflammation of the heart muscle occurs, particularly with intense exercise. That is why you must never train or play when you have a cold with fever or aching joints. The “above-collar” rule says that any symptoms below your neck are a strict ‘NO’ to exercise. That means a running nose is OK, but a productive cough is not,” it says. Dr Chandran also said only a few associations ensure players undergo check-ups. “It is mandatory for players to undergo tests, including ECG, before tournaments,” he said. Chandran’s words hold true in the case of Venkatesh as he was playing the first match of the season and it is clear he went into the event without training.
AIFF MAY HOLD EMERGENCY MEETING Meanwhile, All India Football Federation secretary Kushal Das told TOI the death of the player is a serious incident and the AIFF may even call an emergency committee meeting to discuss the matter. “I am told a player died after he collapsed while warming up. I didn’t know it happened during the match,” Das said. The top official said he was awaiting details from KSFA before taking action. When pointed to the lack of emergency medical care at the venue, Das was shocked. “These (ambulance, doctor, etc) are standard things and there is no need to tell associations to adhere. These are basic requirements. It’s a serious issue and we may even call for an emergency committee meeting.”
Syndrome, common among footballers. Maybe if he had been given oxygen or proper medical care at the time of the incident, he could have stood a chance,” Dr Royan said. Venkatesh had represented Karnataka at the junior and sub-junior levels and has been with Mars for the past five years. His father, Dhanaraj, works as a fitter at 515 Army Base Workshop; his mother, Susheela, is a homemaker. He has a younger sister who is doing her SSLC. BDFA chairman MP Swamy, on being contacted, said: “I don’t know what exactly hap-
pened, but we’ll look into it.” The Karnataka State Football Association has announced Rs 1 lakh as compensation. Shanthinagar MLA NA Haris also announced a like amount, and warned KSFA that if proper medical facilities are not provided in future, he would ensure such tournaments are banned. “KSFA and BDFA function in my constituency. I will ask them to give in writing that adequate medical facilities will be provided for all such tournaments, failing which such events will be banned,” he said. maxin.mathew@timesgroup.com
‘Mini Brazil’ mourns its son Biju Babu Cyriac
TNN
Bangalore: For residents of Gowthamapuram, known as mini Brazil, the news of their own Venkatesh’s sudden death on the artificial turf at the Bangalore Football Stadium came as a rude shock. As one moved past the statue of Pele and entered the narrow lanes, you spot players at each and every corner discussing the death of Venkatesh. Finally, as you reach Venkatesh’s house, located on the edge of the colony, you hear the loud wails of his mother Susheela. “Venkatesh is gone,” she said trying to control her emotions. Son of Dhanraj, a fitter with 515 Army Base Workshop, Venkatesh didn’t excel in academics. He dropped out after Class X, but quickly made his mark as a player representing Karnataka in the U-16 and U-19 level. “He was playing for Bangalore Mars for the last five seasons. He also played for LRDE, SAI and Dharmaraja Union,” said Venkatesh’s friend Karthik. Another player who watched the last moments of Venkatesh from the stands recalled the sequence of events. “Venkatesh collapsed soon after he came on to the field. He came in as a substitute deep into the second half. He hardly touched the ball before he suffered fits and collapsed near the sideline,” he said. Recalling his early days, another footballer Praveen said Venkatesh was a talented player. “He scored lot of goals. His teammates included Sat-
CAUSES OF SUDDEN DEATH Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: enlargement of the heart muscle that progresses over years. Different from an “athlete’s heart,” this muscle is not fully functional. Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia: fat replaces muscle cells especially in the right ventricle. Further common causes include other inborn heart muscle diseases or coronary artery anomalies. Medications, drugs: Stimulants, certain medication against allergies. Cocaine carries a considerable risk of SCD when exercising! Myocarditis: viruses causing flu symptoms or other diseases may affect the heart muscle causing an acute inflammation. This might only manifest with exercise.
ish Kumar Junior, presently with Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan,” recalled Praveen.
FOOTBALLER-CUM-PART-TIMER Like all other league footballers, Venkatesh also had a tough time to make a living out of the game and he worked for a private finance firm. “Playing for Mars fetched him just Rs 100 per match. He was a cheque collection agent for a private firm and earned a few thousands out of that. Once the season started he worked during day time,” another footballer said. According to a relative, Venkatesh wasn’t working for the past month before fate intervened and blew the final whistle. biju.cyriac@timesgroup.com
UNFORTUNATE: (Left) Venkatesh’s mother Susheela struggles to come to terms with the tragedy. (Top) Venkatesh’s friends gather after the news spread. (Above) Relatives gather outside the family home
Will Venkatesh’s loss be turning point? Maxin Mathew
TNN
Bangalore: Venkatesh’s death is another grim reminder of the pathetic medical facilities at tournaments organized by Karnataka State Football Association and the Bangalore District Football Association but local footballers believe nothing will change in the way the game is being run in the city. What is even more worrying is that this is not the first incident. During the 2009 Super Division league tie between Bharath Earth Movers Limited (BEML) and Southern Blues, BEML striker Jotin Singh was seriously injured after goalie Saravana’s boots crunched into his abdomen. The Manipuri striker lost consciousness and with no ambulance
LESSONS TO BE LEARNT around, players and officials brought an autorickshaw onto the field and took him to Hosmat Hospital. “It happened in a flash and I had no time to evade. Cristiano Junior’s death was reeling in my mind as I blacked out. It could have been worse,” rued Jotin, who now plays for ASC. After Cristiano’s death in Bangalore, All India Football Federation had made it mandatory that adequate medical facilities be provided at all levels of the game in the country — be it local or national. It is surprising such a tragedy was allowed to occur in the same city. What is even more interesting is that the president of KSFA, AR Khaleel, is also the current AIFF vice-president. Khaleel, who announced Rs 1 lakh as compensation for Venkatesh’s kin,
CRUSHED: Venkatesh’s dad Dhanraj (left)
also said that the KSFA will purchase a fully-equipped ambulance to be used for all matches. He will also head a committee to probe into BDFA’s lapses. “Nothing is going to change. Venkatesh’s death will just remain an incident in our memories,” his uncle Stephen said, holding back his emotions. In the evening, the crowd swelled in the hospital premises as an inconsolable Dhanraj wept at the loss of his son, huddled with his relatives. “He was a perfectly healthy boy and had no ailments. His passion was football, which has now killed him,” he lamented. A footballer, who plays for HAL, hoped that KSFA and BDFA would learn their lessons from this tragedy. “Ambulances and proper medical attention is only seen in I-league matches here. The local leagues, especially the A, B and C divisions, are given stepmotherly treatment. There have been several instances before which should have been taken seriously by the authorities, but they weren’t. It’s the fault
of the management and hopefully they have learned a lesson,” said the player, who chose to remain anonymous. Most players refuse to reveal their plight as they fear that their future would be jeopardy. “Footballers from poor families are treated shabbily. For instance, kids who were chosen for the junior Nationals in January had to travel in the pantry car due to the authorities’ apathy. But none of them complained fearing they will be dropped,” a BEML footballer said. “The club should tell the BDFA that they will not play if proper medical arrangements are not done. But if we approach the management with these suggestions, they threaten that we will be axed,” he added. “Fabrice Muamba survived despite being worse off because they had stateof-the-art medical care. With Venkatesh’s death, it is clear that we don’t even have 1/100th of it,” says former footballer Kaniyal, referring to Saturday’s incident where the Bolton Wanderers player collapsed during an FA Cup tie. “Even private tournaments run by city associations have medical facilities at hand, can’t the KSFA provide even an ambulance?” he added. Venkatesh’s friends, who thronged in large numbers at the Bowring Hospital morgue, initially planned to take his body to the Bangalore Football Stadium and protest, but were later pacified by Shantinagar MLA NA Haris and the police. “No football match will take place now without proper medical facilities. In case it does, I will ban these tournaments and also resign as patron of KSFA,” Haris, who announced a compensation of Rs 1 lakh for the family, said.
ON-FIELD DEATHS ON INDIAN SOIL Sanjib Dutta: 1993 Kannur, Kerala Cristiano Junior: 2004 Bangalore, Karnataka Allebi Djwrey: 2008 Bangalore, Karnataka Venkatesh: 2012 Bangalore, Karnataka
All league ties postponed Bangalore: BDFA announced on Wednesday that all league matches have been postponed till further notice. On Wednesday, Bangalore Mars won their ill-fated tie against South Western Railway riding on goals by Rajesh and U Babu. A brace by Ramachandran and Jotin Singh’s header gave Army Service Corps a 3-0 headstart against ADE in their Super Division tie, which was abandoned in the 37th minute, after news of Venkatesh's death saw his friends barge into the stadium and start throwing chairs onto the field. Results: Bangalore Mars: 2 (Rajesh 14, U Babu 17) bt SWRly: 0. Super Division: ASC: 3 (Ramachandran 5, 11, Jotin Singh 18) vs ADE: 0 – match abandoned. TNN