‘Brain-dead’ Chinese youth footballer in Spain to be flown home for treatment
Guo Jiaxuan fell into coma after an accidental injury during a training match
Beijing: A Chinese youth football player who suffered a serious injury in Spain resulting in a diagnosis of “brain death” will be transported to Beijing for further treatment, a football association said Thursday.
Guo Jiaxuan fell into a coma on February 6 after an accidental injury during a training match between the Beijing men’s U-20 football team and a Spanish team from the Madrid suburb of Alcobendas, according to a statement by the Beijing Football Association on WeChat.
The statement did not provide details on the specific circumstances that led to Guo’s injury.
Airlifted
“Medical staff from both teams rushed onto the field for on-site first aid,” it said, adding that Guo was then airlifted to a local neurosurgery hospital by rescue helicopter.
“After nearly four hours of all-out rescue, the hospital diagnosed him as brain dead,” the statement read.
The next day, staff from China’s embassy in Spain visited the hospital to urge the continuation of treatment and to help coordinate a charter flight for Guo to return to China, it said.
The flight was approved on Wednesday, Beijing time, the statement read.
“Jiaxuan will arrive in Beijing in the near future for further treatment,” it added.
“We are deeply saddened by this incident. As long as there is a gleam of hope, we will not give up and will do our best in follow-up work,” the post concluded.
Guo is 18 years old, according to Chinese state-backed tabloid Global Times.
The youth footballer has previously played as a defender for the U-19 team of Beijing Guoan Football Club and was selected for the China U-17 national men’s football team in 2023, the Global Times reported on Wednesday.
