Wycombe Teenager Adam Ankers' Death Prompts Calls for Mandatory FA Cardiac Arrest Training
Friends of a teenage footballer who died after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest are advocating for mandatory life-saving training within the sport. Adam Ankers, 17, collapsed with chest pains while playing for Wycombe Wanderers Foundation’s under-19s in January 2024. He later died in hospital due to brain damage, having had an undiagnosed heart condition.
Coroner Recommends Training Mandate
A coroner investigating Ankers' death has called for the Football Association (FA) to make sudden cardiac arrest training mandatory for "at least one person" on the football pitch, specifically coaches and referees. The FA has until Thursday to issue its response to this recommendation.
The inquest determined that a failure to identify the signs of a cardiac arrest and subsequently administer CPR or use a defibrillator contributed to Ankers' death. A defibrillator was present pitch-side but was not utilised due to confusion over its safe application on a teenager, despite its suitability.
George Callie, 19, a childhood friend of Ankers, expressed his support for the coroner's recommendation. "I think it's really important that you learn how to deal with that if you're going to be on the side of a football pitch," Callie stated, suggesting that multiple trained individuals among referees, linesmen, and coaches could save a life. Tom Gough, another close friend and teammate, shared similar concerns, stating he "wouldn't feel so safe" on a pitch now, acknowledging the "big toll" Ankers' death took on his mental health.
The FA has indicated it supported the coroner throughout the inquest and is currently "reviewing their findings and recommendations." The organisation already offers a free, voluntary training module online covering cardiac arrest recognition, CPR, and defibrillator use, with over 90% of affiliated youth teams reportedly having at least one qualified coach who has completed this training.
According to the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), more than 600 young people under 35 in the UK die annually from sudden cardiac arrest due to undiagnosed heart conditions.
