Former Levante, Real Zaragoza, and Ghana forward Raphael Dwamena, who tragically passed away during a match in Albania, was aware of the life-threatening risk of playing football, revealed his former doctor, Cardiologist Antonio Asso.
Dwamena had a known heart condition during his time in Spain and was fitted with a pacemaker to regulate his heartbeat.
Despite the lifesaving device, Dwamena continued to play, opting to remove the defibrillator implanted by Asso, placing the responsibility on himself and his faith.
The 28-year-old’s decision, influenced by his belief in God, ultimately led to the tragic cardiac arrest during a game in Albania.
“A couple of years ago, they told me that the pacemaker had saved his life when he had a malignant arrhythmia that had been correctly treated, automatically, by the device. We had subsequently lost contact. A year ago I learned from the press that he had requested the removal of the defibrillator implanted by us and that it had finally been explanted (I think in Switzerland). It was already too late, his decision was irrevocable and he placed all his responsibility on himself and on the will of the God, in which he believed. From that moment I was aware that one day the tragedy that occurred on Saturday on a soccer field in Albania could happen.”
