Basketball stunned by young passing
BASKETBALL communities in Phnom Penh and the rest of the country have been shocked and saddened by the sudden death of 21-year old player Khiev Chanraksmey in his sleep three weeks ago, due to what informed sources claimed was cardiac arrest.
Deepening the sorrow surrounding his death was the fact that earlier on the fateful day, Chanraksmey had enjoyed a game of basketball with his friends.
In the wake of this tragedy, basketball circles are now pushing hard for measures to monitor the vital signs of players and lend assistance to those who may have pre-existing conditions but continue to pursue their passion for the game.
As one sports analyst put it: “Medical attention for players from either the clubs they represent or the federation in general has not been prioritised, not only in basketball but in many other team sports.
“As painful as it is to say, I hope a tragedy like this will lead the powers that be to open their eyes and prevent similar occurrences in the future.”
According to former Extra Joss Fighters player and marketing manager of the Cambodian Basketball Federation Ken Gadaffi, Chanraksmey was a talented player prominent in the national reckoning having been part of Cambodian Basketballball League-winning Mekong Tigers in 2015 in his late teens.
He turned out for the Blue Tigers in the following season.
Not in vain
The 6ft, 5in Chanraksmey holds the record of being the only Cambodian player to “dunk” in the CBL and was among the new generation of players the federation had in its sights for developing a strong team towards the 2023 SEA Games.
Secretary-general of the CBF