UEFA President Michel Platini Rushed To Hospital
Just a day before the big final, the football world cup has been dealt with a hiccup as UEFA President Michel Platini is rushed to a hospital after fainting in a restaurant in Johannesburg last night.
The the 55-year-old football legend fainted before even eating in the early evening at the Pigalle restaurant in the suburb of Sandton in the heart of Johannesburg bracing for the big final between: The Netherlands and Spain on Sunday night.
According to the manager of the restaurant Platini arrived with five guests, and ordered a round of drinks, they hadn't even placed their food order at that point in time.
The manager added that the Frenchman’s guests told him that he wasn't feeling too well and wanted to go to his hotel room, and right after getting up to leave Platini collapsed, and fainted.
Luckily there was a doctor present at the restaurant who rushed to Platini as soon as he fell down and took good care of him.
The Doctor was having dinner here at a separate table and went with him to Morningside clinic, where Platini was given initial treatment.
Platini was the linchpin of the French team in the 80’s helping them win the 1984 European Championship, besides coaching the team in one of their brightest ever eras running from 1988 to 1992.
In honour of his football services he was elected president of European soccer's governing body in 2007.
Meanwhile Federation of International Football Federation FIFA, the organisers of the tournament declared at the hospital that Platini had not suffered a heart attack.
"Michel Platini UEFA President fainted this evening after feeling un-well following flu symptoms in the past days. He was taken to a hospital in Johannesburg for some tests. Contrary to some media reports, no signs of any heart-related problems have been found. Mr. Platini will be kept overnight for observation as a precautionary measure," FIFA media office Alain LeBlanc said.
However according to the witnesses at the restaurant the way Platini collapsed, it looked as though he had suffered a heart attack.
"A gentleman felt ill next to my table. He was dining, and I resuscitated the gentleman that had a heart attack. I gave him mouth to mouth resuscitation and he went straight to the hospital," said a Brazilian present at the restaurant at the time of the incident.
Another eyewitness added that Platini had complained about feeling unwell and was walking through the restaurant when he collapsed.
FIFA added that the legendary player was to be kept at the hospital as a precautionary measure overnight, and would be released after a thorough check-up.
Platini had to endure a miserable team from his national team in the tournament where they were dumped out in the opening round after losing to South Africa and Mexico, and drawing with semi-finalists Uruguay.
French team’s performance has already drawn the interest of their parliament that has called for a thorough probe into the dismal display by the 1998 champions, who ended up at the runner-up spot in the last edition of the World Cup held in Germany in 2006.
On the other hand Platini’s collapse is only a minor setback for the tournament which has been a roaring success and has transformed the South African nation’s image that it seems has buried the ghost of apartheid once and for all.
The manner in which the event was staged underlines their tremendous growth and prosperity in recent years and that despite poverty amongst the Black community they remain a real force at the international sporting arena and would now be aiming at staging the Olympics in the next twenty years or so.
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