I'd like to apologize in advance that today's blog entry won't be on the light side. However, I think life consists of happy as well as of unhappy parts, one of them I'd like to write about today.
On Friday night, an Austrian striker, playing for Swansea in the UK, named Besian Idrizaj died of a heart attack. He was 22 years old. Of course this came as a big shock, however, soon his obituary reminded me of his case. In his career, Besian has collapsed twice on the field at matches; both times doctors blamed his weak heart. In the media, the former chief of medicine of his club in Linz, Milan Toljan, was quoted that Besian suffered from cor pulmonale - a disease causing too much pressure damaging the heart.
When Besian was 17 years old, he transferred from a mediocre Austrian club to Liverpool FC, back then the incumbent Champions League winner. I remember it being a big deal and all over Austrian media - a young, talented boy being signed by mighty FC Liverpool. Back then, he commented on his transfer:
"You can't ignore an invitation by the Champions League winner. I would have swum the channel to go there."
Unfortunately, things didn't work out for him in Liverpool he left the club, first on a loan to Luton Town, later back home to Austria.
Upon arriving in Austria, his career was harshly interrupted after he collapsed in a match. He was out for pretty much all of the season and only gave his comeback one year after the incident. However, shortly afterward, he collapsed again during training with his new club in Upper Austria. This time, they discovered his serious heart disease. His doctors told him that with a condition like this, he must under no circumstances play professional football.
However, Besian didn't give up and signed with Swansea in the second highest British league. Last Friday, he died in his sleep while being on vacation in Austria. The Austrian Football Federations technical director, Willi Ruttensteiner, remembered:
"Besian just loved playing football; his biggest dream was joining a Premier League team in the UK."
The reason I am writing this is that people often ask what "being a mentor for athletes" as part of the Young Ambassador job description is all about. I'd say that on the one hand, it's our task to tell the youngsters out there to stick to their dreams and work hard to achieve them. However, incidents like this one remind me of the other side: That once you reach a point where you risk severe damage to your integrity or your health, you should accept your limits. Sport is arguably the most fulfilling experience there is in life; however, it is definitely not worth risking your life for. Sadly to say, Besian underestimated this risk and had to pay the highest price. He tried living his dream and payed with his life for it.
The reason I am writing this is that people often ask what "being a mentor for athletes" as part of the Young Ambassador job description is all about. I'd say that on the one hand, it's our task to tell the youngsters out there to stick to their dreams and work hard to achieve them. However, incidents like this one remind me of the other side: That once you reach a point where you risk severe damage to your integrity or your health, you should accept your limits. Sport is arguably the most fulfilling experience there is in life; however, it is definitely not worth risking your life for. Sadly to say, Besian underestimated this risk and had to pay the highest price. He tried living his dream and payed with his life for it.
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