Hapoel Beersheba player Chaswe Nsofwa died after collapsing during a training match against Maccabi Beersheba at the team's Vasermil Stadium on Wednesday.


Just days after FC Sevilla player, Antonio Puerta died on the field of play in the La Liga opening match against Getafe, Zambia's Chaswe Nsofwa has died in an Israeli hospital minutes after collapsing during a training session. The 27-year-old was training with his Israeli second division side Hapoel Beersheba when he fell and lay still. Rescue workers tried to restart his heart for several minutes on the field before taking him to Soroka Hospital in Beersheba. Paramedic Carmel Cohen said rushed to the field when he received the emergency call, but might have arrived too late. Chen said:

When we arrived we found the soccer player lying on the grass. We found his friends trying to help him. We gave him first aid, electric shocks and an external pacemaker, but despite all our efforts, he was declared dead at the hospital.

New Hapoel Beersheba owner Alona Bareket, who purchased the club just several weeks ago said:

I'm shocked. I can't believe that something like this has happened. This is a huge tragedy for the family, for Hapoel Beersheba Football Club and for me personally.

Nsofwa was part of the Zambia squad at the 2002 African Cup of Nations in Mali and last year had helped the Chipolopolo win the Cosafa Cup, scoring one of the goals in the final 2-0 win over Angola.

This latest death raises even greater concern about the health status of players as well as medical procedures in clubs along with team training schedules and a loaded season of constant top flight action.