In a sobering reminder of the stakes involved in sports safety, a coroner has called for mandatory cardiac arrest training for football coaches and referees following the tragic death of a young player. The recommendation stems from the inquest into 17-year-old Adam Ankers, who collapsed while playing for Wycombe Wanderers' under-19s in January 2024 and later died in hospital.

Assistant coroner Valerie Charbit concluded that a failure to recognize Adam was suffering a cardiac arrest "more than minimally" contributed to his death. She highlighted a critical "missed opportunity" to save him, noting that a defibrillator was on the pitch but confusion over its use prevented its deployment.

Charbit has now urged the Football Association (FA) to make its existing free, online cardiac awareness module compulsory for all grassroots coaches and referees. She argued that the potential to save lives outweighs the logistical challenge of training the FA's 185,000 registered coaches.

The FA had expressed concern that mandatory training could exclude children from refereeing, but Charbit countered that the responsibility for basic first aid awareness "lies with all ages within society." Her prevention of future deaths report also notes that both bystanders and emergency call handlers often struggle to identify cardiac arrest symptoms, such as the agonal breathing Adam experienced.

This case underscores a vital aspect of sports preparedness beyond physical fitness and skill. For everyone on the pitch—players, officials, and coaches—understanding how to respond in a cardiac emergency is becoming an increasingly recognized part of the game's duty of care.