Egyptian sports witnessed a painful, tragic incident during the Republic U-12 Swimming Championship competitions in the swimming pool complex at Cairo International Stadium, where 12-year-old Youssef Mohamed, a player from Al-Zohour Club, died while participating in the race, which sparked widespread shock within the sports community and the public.
This incident raises questions about safety and security procedures in children’s sports tournaments, and reveals the extent of the challenges facing the sports system in dealing with such emergency situations.
Club obituary and mourning declaration
The Board of Directors of Al-Zohour Club, headed by Counselor Mohamed Al-Demerdash, issued a statement of obituary for the deceased Youssef Mohamed, emphasizing great sadness and sorrow for his loss, and offering sincere condolences and sympathy to the player’s family.
The club declared three days of mourning for the player’s death, praying to God Almighty to cover him with His vast mercy and to inspire his family with patience and solace.
The club’s statement said: “The passing of Youssef Mohamed is a major shock to the club and the sports community. He was a national hero project, and his sudden death is sad for everyone.”
The club confirmed that the mourning will be accompanied by a ceremony honoring the player inside the club after the burial procedures are completed, to highlight his status within the sports system.
Details of the incident and behind the scenes of death
Youssef Muhammad’s father revealed some painful details about his son’s death, accusing the refereeing crew, the swimming pool lifeguard, and the head of the swimming federation of gross negligence, considering that leaving his son in the water was the direct cause of his death.
The player’s father explained that some of the accusations against him about taking stimulants are completely fictitious, stressing that his son was not taking any stimulants, and that everything that was said was baseless, demanding that he be rehabilitated after the investigations are over.
The player’s father explained that Youssef Mohamed’s body arrived at the Zeinhom morgue after he was transferred from the hospital, where an autopsy was performed to ensure that he had not taken steroids and the causes of death. Then the body was transported to Port Said to complete the burial procedures after the dawn prayer, in a very touching scene that his family did not accept easily, especially his twin sister, who did not know about the death until receiving the body.
According to the medical report, the player arrived at the hospital at 6:10 pm suffering from cardiac arrest and not breathing, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation attempts were immediately initiated.
The report explained that an electrical irregular heartbeat (ventricular fibrillation) was observed, which required the administration of electric shocks, the installation of a throat tube, the child being placed on a full ventilator, and the administration of adrenaline by intravenous drip, but unfortunately, the heart muscle stopped for the fourth time and did not respond to the condition, so that the death of Youssef Muhammad was announced at 10:00 p.m.
Legal procedures and investigations
The Public Prosecution in New Cairo began its investigations into the incident, and the body of Youssef Muhammad was transferred to the Forensic Medicine Authority to conduct an autopsy and determine the exact cause of death. The Public Prosecution also released the surveillance cameras in the swimming pool complex to complete the investigations, and a team from the Public Prosecution moved to inspect the place to determine the circumstances of the accident.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports explained that referring the incident to the Public Prosecution came within the framework of the Ministry’s keenness to follow up on the incident carefully, and to ensure comprehensive and transparent investigations, noting the formation of a technical committee that includes specialists from legal affairs, the Supreme Medical Committee, Athlete Performance, and Internal Oversight, to review the medical, technical and administrative procedures followed in the tournament and the swimming pool complex, and to indicate the extent of officials’ commitment to the protocols for children playing sports during tournaments.
The Ministry also called on the Egyptian Swimming Federation to prepare an urgent comprehensive report that includes all the details related to the accident, including the preventive measures taken inside the complex, coordination with emergency teams, ensuring the readiness of swimming pool lifeguards, and the extent of commitment to applying the medical safety code during competitions.
Security services investigations and final report
Investigations by security services in Cairo reported that the athlete’s death was natural and there was no criminal suspicion. It was found that Youssef Mohamed fainted during the 50-meter race and fell into the water immediately after the race ended. Investigations confirmed that first aid attempts took him to the hospital, but he died despite immediate medical intervention. A report was drawn up regarding the incident, and the body was kept in the hospital morgue at the disposal of the Public Prosecution.
The sources added that the player appeared to have collided under the water while fainting, and remained in the water for a period ranging between 3 to 5 minutes, which resulted in his injury and loss of life despite the rapid intervention of the hospital’s medical staff.
Official feedback
The Egyptian Swimming Federation issued an official statement confirming the player’s death, expressing great sadness and sorrow, and affirming a period of three days of mourning for his sudden passing. The Federation’s statement said: “We appreciate the efforts of all the teams participating in the tournament, but the death of Youssef Muhammad reminds us of the importance of reviewing all safety procedures within all sports complexes, to ensure the protection of children during competitions.”
The Federation also called on all sports clubs and teams to implement the highest standards of safety and medical prevention during tournaments, including the presence of trained lifeguards, equipped medical equipment, and follow-up programs for the cases of children participating in sports.
The importance of the incident and lessons learned
Youssef Mohamed’s death reflects the extent of the risks children can face while playing sports, especially in highly competitive tournaments. This incident highlights the need to strengthen medical protocols, develop rescue and first aid teams in all sports clubs and complexes, and ensure the presence of specialized medical teams always present during competitions.
The incident also calls for a reconsideration of licensing and supervision procedures for children’s sports tournaments, ensuring that officials adhere to all safety regulations, and conducting continuous training for lifeguards and medical staff members on dealing with emergency cases, to reduce the chances of such tragedies occurring in the future.
The death of Youssef Mohamed, a player for Al-Zohour Club, remains a painful event for the entire Egyptian sports community, reminding us of the sensitivity of dealing with child athletes, and the importance of strictly implementing safety and prevention measures.
Despite the great sadness, the follow-up of the official investigations, security investigations and forensic medicine will contribute to clarifying all the circumstances and preventing the recurrence of such incidents in the future, with an emphasis on honoring the player and remembering him as a young hero who lost his life for the sake of his love of sport.
