Cause of Morosini death undetermined
Reuters - Monday 16 April 2012, 17:15
Italian medical experts said more
tests would be needed to find the exact cause of death of
Livorno's Piermario Morosini following an autopsy on Monday.
The 25-year-old collapsed during an Italian second division
game at Pescara on Saturday, prompting the country's football federation to postpone professional matches over the weekend.
The Serie A games will now be played on April 25, the
federation said.
Investigators have said they want to establish as much
detail as possible as they are considering potential
manslaughter charges.
Doctors tried to revive the former Italy under-21
international, who was at Udinese until January, but he was dead
on arrival at hospital.
"There are no obvious signs that allow us to determine the
boy's death," Christian D'Ovidio, a medical services official,
was quoted by Italian news agency ANSA as saying after the
autopsy, which lasted for most of Monday afternoon.
D'Ovidio said further examinations would be required,
including toxicology tests.
Investigators are looking into whether an ambulance was
blocked by the car of a police officer on its way to help
Morosini.
The mayor of Pescara, Luigi Albore Mascia, said on Monday
the police officer in question had accepted "full
responsibility" in a written statement for parking his car in a
spot that blocked the ambulance for a few minutes, and had
volunteered his own suspension, Italian media reported.
Morosini, born in Bergamo and a former player with the
city's Atalanta team, fell to the ground with no one near him in
the 31st minute. He got up looking confused and then collapsed
again as medics and then an ambulance rushed on to the field.
His funeral is scheduled to take place on Thursday.
Serie A side Udinese said on Monday it would care for
Morosini's disabled sister, who relied on him for financial
support since both their parents and other brother died.
Last month Bolton Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba
suffered a cardiac arrest during his side's FA Cup quarter-final
against Tottenham Hotspur and needed 15 defibrillator shocks to
restart his heart.
He has made a miraculous recovery and was discharged from a
London hospital on Monday.