Heart
Problem Retires Female Captain
By Julu M. Johnson, Jr.
The sad news that female soccer star Florence Monbo will no more be
playing the game was released on Thursday by both the Deputy Sports
Minister Marbue Richards and the national team Doctor Philderald E.
Pratt.
They made it known that after series of tests since the female
under-20 team’s return from Nigeria, a heart problem is what she is
suffering from.
The 9-1 defeat suffered against Nigeria by the Liberian female
Under-20 team last weekend was partly due to the decision not to
allow Monbo from partaking in that match due to health problems.
The decision created some eyebrows, but the Deputy Sports Minister
said it was in her own interest and it at the end of the day ruled
her out of the game for the rest of her life.
According to Dr. Pratt, he began suspecting the condition of
Florence during the first half of the match with Nigeria in
Monrovia.
At the time, he suspected her to be complaining about chest pain and
that she was breathless.
But the Doctor said thereafter she was cleared of the chest problem.
When the time came for the match in Nigeria, Dr. Pratt noted that
the player again began complaining about similar problem upon the
team’s arrival.
Following close observation, the Doctor said that the player was
declared unfit for the match, which her team went on to lose
disastrously.
He explained that the news that Florence could not play the match in
Nigeria did not go down well with her colleagues on the team,
considering her role as skipper and central defender, yet he said it
was a decision that he chose to stick to.
Dr. Pratt views the decision to stop Florence from playing as being
in the right direction as it could have resulted to cardiac arrest
or sudden death.
Currently on treatment based on medical advice, Dr. Pratt said the
player has been told not to play active soccer anymore, thus
bringing her football sojourn to an end.
Considering such bitter experience, Dr. Pratt pointed out that there
would now be periodic checkups for players.
Prior to this situation, Dr. Pratt quoted the female star as saying
that she had not experienced what has now brought her game to an
end.
He then recommended to teams and their heads about the need to take
the issue of sports medics seriously.
Though he regrets the incidence of Florence, Deputy Sports Minister
Richards said there are now plans to replace her as one player
doesn’t make a team. He tipped Barzoon Barwu as the one that could
replace her. “It’s disheartening for a young woman who is the key of
our national team we are trying to build,” the Deputy Sports
Minister sadly put it.
The likes of Mamie Kamara, Miatta Jallabah and Barzoon Barwu are
currently nursing injuries following the two matches. Hence, Mr.
Richards pleaded with heads and coaches of clubs to rest them until
they are healed.
He warned that any attempt to insist on featuring the players in
matches while nursing injuries could do permanent damage to them.
Mr. Richards advised that the presidents and coaches of clubs must
be interested in the well-being of the players by following the
advice of the Doctor.
He added, “Our clubs need to pay keen attention to players despite
the tendency of wanting to win all the time. Regardless of
sponsorship, the player’s health comes first.”
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