Emergency response planning for sudden cardiac arrest in amateur football clubs in Germany (federal state Saarland).

OBJECTIVE

While emergency care for sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is strictly regulated in professional football, the situation in amateur football is unclear. This study investigated the emergency readiness for SCA in German amateur football clubs.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey of 253 German amateur football clubs (fifth division and lower) was conducted between January and August 2023. Club representatives participated in a 30-point questionnaire on automated external defibrillator (AED) availability, visibility, purchase, usage, frequency of staff trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and AED usage, regular CPR and AED training, and the existence of an emergency action plan (EAP).

RESULTS

161 of 253 eligible clubs (64% response rate) participated. An AED was available in 48/161 (30%) clubs. 46 of 161 clubs (29%) had no CPR-trained staff. A high availability of CPR- and AED-trained staff (>75% likelihood of being present at the pitch) was more likely during a match (61% and 84%) than training (40% and 51%), respectively. Retrospectively, over 7 years, five clubs reported that CPR-trained staff used an AED, resulting in a survival rate of 80%. 16 clubs (10%) had an EAP in the event of an SCA.

CONCLUSION

German amateur football clubs show low emergency readiness for SCA despite a promising survival rate when an AED is used by CPR-trained staff on-site. Regular CPR and AED training for club members, increased availability of AEDs, and the development of EAPs might be beneficial in responding adequately to an SCA during football training and matches.