Khaberni - In a painful moment that cast its shadow over the Egyptian swimming world, young swimmer Youssef Mohamed, aged 12, a player for El-Zohour Club, passed away after a sudden faint during his participation in the Under-12 Republic Swimming Championship, held at the Cairo International Stadium swimming complex.
The incident, which occurred last night (Tuesday), sparked a wave of sadness and anger in sports circles, leading to an immediate intervention by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, which decided to refer the incident to the prosecution for investigation into potential negligence.
An official championship ends in tragedy
The drama started during a 50-meter freestyle competition at noon when Youssef, who was considered one of the promising talents of the club, jumped into the water with enthusiasm.
He completed the race successfully, but seconds after reaching the edge, he suffered a sudden faint and fell to the bottom of the pool, remaining submerged for several minutes unnoticed immediately.
Youssef was brought out after his absence was noticed, and on-site medical teams administered first aid, before he was urgently transferred to the nearby Dar Al Fouad Hospital, and two hours later, the Egyptian Swimming Federation announced the painful news: “Youssef's heart stopped 4 times during intensive care, leading to his death despite the doctors' efforts.”
Medical Report
The preliminary medical report indicated acute cardiac arrest, but investigations continue to determine the precise causes, whether health-related or due to exhaustion or lack of supervision.
It is worth noting that Youssef had won a gold medal in a previous championship just 6 days ago, while El-Zohour Club declared three days of mourning, closing its doors in honor of his memory, as the Egyptian Swimming Federation, chaired by Engineer Yasser Idris, mourned him, expressing deep sorrow and offering condolences to his family.
Referring the incident to the prosecution
In a rapid development, the Egyptian Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. Ashraf Sobhi, announced today (Wednesday), the referral of the incident to the public prosecution to take investigative steps in light of the review of the medical code approved by the ministry, emphasizing complete transparency.
The minister also requested an urgent official report from the Egyptian Swimming Federation, covering the circumstances of the incident, including the readiness of medical teams and safety procedures.
The Minister of Youth and Sports ordered the formation of a committee that included specialists from the legal affairs, the high medical committee, sports performance, and internal control; to review the medical, technical, and administrative procedures, and to assess the application of the specific medical code for practicing sports and competitions in clubs and youth centers, as well as reviewing the actions taken by the concerned club regarding these procedures.
Widespread solidarity
In the context of solidarity and reactions to the incident, Egyptian media personality Ahmed Shobier said during his radio program: "My heart aches for what happened to Youssef Mohamed, a swimmer of El-Zohour Club under 12 years old, the child had a fainting episode in the water and nobody noticed, parents are doing all they can and they come to encourage their kids." He continued, saying: "What happened cannot be justified or taken lightly."
