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40 • Touchline • Issue 16
A professional football player died within hours of his debut
in Qatar in July.
Christian “Chucho” Benítez, the 27-year-old Ecuadorean
forward, left the field after making his debut for the Qatari
team El Jaish on Sunday appearing fit and well. He
complained later of stomach pain, and was pronounced
dead at a Qatar hospital.
El Jaish’s Web site said Benítez had not complained
about any health problems after playing in the
club’s 2-0 victory over Qatar Sports Club in the
Sheikh Jassem Cup.
The player’s father-in-law, Cléber Chalá,
said from Ecuador that Benítez
had had what was thought to be
appendicitis, but that he had
developed complications that
led to respiratory arrest.
Benítez was born in the Andean city of Quito, but he played
almost 200 games in Mexico, before and after a season with
Birmingham City.
PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLER DIES
AFTER DEBUT
AT
RISK
An AFL full-forward who lost part of his vision in an incident
in April 2010 is suing the opponent defender who hit him
during a football marking duel.
Andrew Taranto, 28, claims he was left with scarring and
loss of his peripheral vision while playing for St Pauls East
Bentleigh. He was struck in the head by St Kilda City football
club defender Dylan Reiseger at a match at St Kilda City’s
Peanut Farm Oval The incident was not reported to the
Southern Football League at the time.
It is alleged by Mr Taranto that his opponent had not
followed the rules of the sport when he struck him to the
head. He also claims Mr Reiseger did not take reasonable
care to ensure he was not injured.
Mr Taranto is trying to recoup costs from ongoing medical
expenses and a loss of earnings. He claims to have also
suffered anxiety and depression.
Legal experts say it is rare for a lawsuit to be lodged for an
incident during play but said sportsmen were increasingly
being held legally accountable for their actions on the field.
Despite Mr Taranto’s injury, he played on in 2011, booting 50
goals as a key forward during the club’s premiership season.
St Kilda City football club president Shaun Cotter said Mr
Reiseger was shocked when he received the legal letter. “In
25 years of playing football, I have never heard of a player
being sued in local footy before,” Mr Cotter said.
“If the lawyers were called every time a player was hit in a
contest, I could have a couple of hundred of lawsuits coming
my way.”
‘At Risk’ is a new regular feature which highlights
recent news stories about some of the accidents
and injuries that occur in the sport and leisure
world. Risk is present in our everyday lives even
when we are playing sport and having fun.
Here we report some of the more tragic and
bizarre events that lead to injury and sometimes
even death in our industry.
AFL PLAYER SUES AFTER LOSING
VISION IN ON-FIELD BATTLE FOR BALL