Nigerian Footballer Collapses, Dies On Malaysian Pitch

Oniya: collapses on the pitch. BBC Photo

Nigerian defender David Faramola Oniya died on Saturday after collapsing on the pitch during a friendly match between his Malaysian club T-Team and Kelantan. He was 30.

Local media said the T-Team skipper collapsed three minutes into the match in Kota Bharu and was taken to hospital.

T-Team CEO Syahrizan Mohd Zain said Oniya did not receive medical treatment quick enough.

“He suffered a heart attack but it could have been a different story had the ambulance driver was alert,” he told the New Straits Times.

“The driver was at the stands watching the game when Oniya suddenly collapsed and our defender was deprived of oxygen for several minutes.”

Syahrizan said the match was called off after 60 minutes after they were informed by the hospital Oniya had died.

“He was pronounced dead at the hospital about 30 minutes later,” he told the Star newspaper.

Oniya had only just joined the Malaysian club this season after spells in Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.

He was born on 5 June, 1985 in Lagos.

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