Anyone can suffer cardiac arrest, anytime and anywhere. Calling an ambulance and immediately starting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are two essential reflexes, because every second counts.
This is the key message of a new partnership in training and awareness between UEFA and the European Resuscitation Council (ERC). It was also the focus of the opening session of the eighth UEFA Medical Symposium, which started today at the German Football Federation (DFB) headquarters in Frankfurt.
During the year, UEFA and the ERC will organize CPR training for teams competing in the Women’s Finalissima at Wembley, the Nations League finals in the Netherlands and the Under-21 EURO in Georgia and Romania, as well as the various UEFA youth and futsal final stages. Staff from UEFA and our 55 member associations, as well as staff and volunteers working at UEFA EURO 2024 in Germany, will also benefit from this training. The goal is to train at least 12,000 people in CPR.
“The role of medicine in football is more important than ever, and it is with great pride that UEFA is launching this new initiative, together with the ERC,” said UEFA President Aleksander. Čeferin, who was among the first people trained. “Anyone of us can be near someone in cardiac arrest, and when that happens, every second counts. We want to use the power of football to raise awareness of this issue and encourage people to learn, take action and save lives. »
“The European Resuscitation Council is delighted with its collaboration with UEFA,” explained Professor Koen Monsieurs, President of the ERC and speaker at the symposium. “Thanks to this partnership, we will be able to convey to a very large number of people our essential message, namely that each and every one of us can save a life, by devoting a little of our time to learning intensive care. Together we will increase the survival rate following cardiac arrest. »
Later in the year, the training will be complemented by an awareness campaign encouraging the general public to train in CPR. It is estimated that prompt and well-administered assistance can double or even triple the chances of surviving cardiac arrest and saving up to 100,000 lives each year across Europe.
This partnership with the ERC is just one facet of UEFA’s commitment to ensuring the highest standards of medical care and prevention in football. Since last year, UEFA’s minimum medical requirements have stated that no match organized by the governing body can start without a resuscitation ambulance and three automated external defibrillators (AEDs) present at the venue. In addition, the UEFA Football Doctor Education Program trains more than 1,000 medical staff a year, while each year the HatTrick development program allocates funds to each member association for training in the field of health.