Life Fence For First Collaps And Rescue Players

Christian Eriksen's life was saved thanks to the weakening of first aid and the importance of making barricades (Instagram/@peacemanbird).

JAKARTA - The incident that befell the Filipino player, Adrian Ugelvik, in the second round of the 2026 World Cup Qualification match against the Indonesian national team, June 11, 2024, is a reminder.

Football is not just a 2 x 45 minute fight. The principle of fair play, respect, and unity remains the foundation in the balance.

Adrian Ugelvik's collapse on the field opened his eyes that the principle remains the main one. All players unite, gather, and try to provide first aid, no matter the jersey color.

After asking the medical team to arrive immediately, all Indonesian and Filipino players made circle barricades surrounding Adrian Ugelvik who was commanded by Jay Idzes.

The fence of life is not without reason. This method is a form of respect and empathy for players who are collapsing so that they do not enter the spotlight of the camera and spectators.

That method began to become a concern when Christian Eriksen collapsed during the Denmark vs Finland Euro 2020 match in June 2021.

After that, footballers in the world began to realize the importance of the barricades. A similar incident occurred in Ligue 1 in August 2021.

Samuel Kalu collapsed in the Marseille vs Bordeaux match in the fifth minute. Laurent Koscielny immediately gave Kalu first aid and the players of both teams made the fence live while asking the medical team to move quickly.

Most recently, prior to the Adrian Ugelvik incident, Tom Lockyer experienced a similar unfortunate incident. He collapsed in the Premier League match between Luton Town vs Bournemouth in December 2023.

Eriksen's incident seemed to be a milestone in the importance of fellow footballers caring for each other. In addition to the matter of live fences, footballers are also increasingly literate with first aid.

Simon Kjaer became a conversation when he provided first aid to Eriksen so that his life could be saved. The Danish defender ensured Eriksen's tongue was not swallowed so he did not clog the breathing.

Kjaer's action made football around the world more massive in giving sides to players about first aid.

Indonesian football, for example, will begin to be equipped with first aid capabilities in December 2021. Through the Indonesian Professional Footballers Association (APPI), Indonesian players are given education to help first aid from colleagues in the field to minimize the worse impact.

For example, APPI briefing CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) for its members as an effort for medical assistance to restore the breathing and circulation of blood in the body to collapsing players.

"This is a lesson for all world footballers including Indonesian footballers. The incident that befell Eriksen is a lesson that player awareness of first aid is if a colleague is injured in the middle of the field," said Firman Utina, President Executive Committee (Exco) of APPI, at that time.

"The Eriksen incident is unpredictable. Luckily there is a captain (Simon Kjaer) who understands how to provide first aid. So my suggestion is that all stakeholders collaborate with each other to provide education to players and work with doctors to provide first aid for injuries that occur on the field during the match," said Andritany Ardhiyasa, Vice President of Exco APPI, adding.

You see, Indonesia once mourned when there was an incident of a player, Choirul Huda, who collapsed on the field in 2017. Late in providing first aid, the Persela Lamongan goalkeeper failed to be saved and eventually died.