Indian Footballer Thapa dies in the field

AP, Tuesday 10 Jul 2012

Soccer player dies after colliding with goalkeeper

Mahesh Thapa
Indian Footballer Mahesh Thapa

Indian media reports say a soccer player in the eastern city of Jalpaiguri has died after failing to receive medical care following a collision with the opposing goalkeeper in a local match.

The Indian Express reported Tuesday that 27-year-old Mahesh Thapa died after being refused admission to three hospitals because no beds were available.

Thapa was ferried between hospitals on a motorcycle as no ambulance was available. He was playing for Raikatpara Sports Association against Bhanu Nagar at a remote field in the city.

This is the second soccer-related death in India in four months.

A Bangalore player, D. Venkatesh, died in March after suffering cardiac arrest on the field. No ambulance was available and Venkatesh was taken to a hospital in a three-wheel auto-rickshaw.

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