A young suburban footballer, who died from a cardiac arrest during a match in Fawkner, is being remembered as a “wonderful kid loved by all”.
Northern Saints player Mohammed Allouche, 22, collapsed on field in an Essendon District Football League game against Avondale Heights in Fawkner at about midday on Saturday.
He was flown to The Alfred hospital in a coma where he later died.
His first cousin Khalid Abou-Eid said his death was “massive shock” to their tight knit community, who come from the same small village in Lebanon.
“He was a wonderful, wonderful kid loved by all, cherished by his family,” he said.
“He put his heart and soul into everything he ever did. He was a young kid going places and his life was cut short tragically.
“He will be sorely missed by a lot of people.”
Mr Abou-Eid said Mr Allouche, of Fawkner, was an exceptional sportsman and avid Carlton Football Club and Manchester United supporter.
“The last thing he did in life was kick a goal,” he said.
Mr Allouche’s boss at Apogee Financial Planning, Michael Milne, remembered his employee and office manager as a “fine young man”.
Ambulance Victoria spokesman John Mullen said mobile intensive care ambulance paramedics were called to Charles Mutton Reserve just after midday.
“CPR was performed and a defibrillator was used as well,” he said.
Essendon District Football League general manager Marc Turri said Mr Allouche collapsed immediately after kicking a goal.
“The thoughts of the EDFL community are with the player and his family at this time and we request that the privacy of the player and his family be respected,” he said via a statement of the league’s website.
The match and the following senior game were called off.
The incident comes on the same day as the state government has announced it is rolling out 1000 defibrillators to sports clubs across Victoria.
The life-saving devices will be made available through a $2.7 million grants program.
Minister for Sport John Eren said a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival decreased 10 per cent every minute that passed without defibrillation.
“Immediate CPR, easy access to equipment and a clear emergency plan is the key to making sure an emergency on the field doesn’t become a tragedy,” he said.
Senior footballer Aaron Mahoney, 24, died earlier this month following an on-field tackle near Colac, south-west of Melbourne.
The Otway Districts Football Club captain dropped to the ground in a game against Lorne.
This story first appeared in The Age
