Questions Arise Over the Emergency Treatment Given to Spanish Soccer Player in Fatal Collision

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - While Spain mourns the death of a soccer player who suffered a cardiac arrest after an on-field collision, the emergency medical treatment he received is falling under scrutiny. Tenerife forward Jesús de Miguel died Tuesday, a day after absorbing a heavy hit by the opposing team's goalkeeper during a match in Spain's second division and being rushed to a hospital.

Spain's National Police opened an investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter - a standard procedure for a non-natural death. Investigators are expected to assess whether Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono's challenge went beyond the normal course of play.

But the incident also raised questions about the on-field treatment the 30-year-old player received after collapsing on the pitch Monday, including how quickly CPR was performed and whether medics used a defibrillator. Elvira González, the president of Spain's Association of Nurses, Emergency Medics and Caregivers, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that her organization was seeking more information.

"We can't say if they acted correctly or incorrectly, but we can demand that all the emergency procedures follow international standards of correct practice," González said. Team medical staff was at his side 20 seconds after De Miguel collapsed after being crunched in mid-air by Owono while disputing a high ball late in the game.

Emergency workers quickly followed, running a stretcher to the scene in less than a minute. It is unclear what medical attention De Miguel received during the 5 minutes he was prone on the pitch before being rushed off on a stretcher and placed in an ambulance waiting just off the field.

Some Spanish media reported that he received CPR in the ambulance and recovered a pulse, while others say he received CPR on the field. It has not been established whether a defibrillator was used.

The Tenerife soccer club did not answer repeated calls and an email request asking for more information about the emergency treatment De Miguel received. "There is contradictory information," González said.

"The first thing we need to know is where and when he supposedly recovered a pulse." She said CPR must be performed from "minute 1" and that using a defibrillator is crucial. You can only move a person once a pulse is restored, she said.

On-field treatment proved lifesaving for other athletes who collapsed on the field of play including Danish soccer player Christian Eriksen, whose heart stopped during a European Championship game in 2021.