Medical mandate
CALLING THE sudden passing of St George’s College captain Dominic James “one too many”, Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) President Dr Walton Small says his organisation will be looking to ensure that no second-round ISSA/FLOW Manning Cup match is played “without minimum medical personnel present”.
Small pointed out that one of ISSA’s protocols is to try and ensure that all schools are instructed to have medical facilities very close to their schools.
James, a former Jamaica College standout, who transferred to St George’s College, collapsed within five minutes after the game started and was later pronounced dead at the University Hospital of the West Indies on Tuesday.
“We are looking seriously to discuss that at our meeting tomorrow (today) to have at least the minimum of an electrocardiogram (ECG),” Small said in an interview yesterday.
“As it goes into the second round, where ISSA has responsibility to execute the matches, there are always ambulances, a stretchers and medical personnel,” he continued, adding that schools are expected to have medical assistance near.
CLOSE-BY FACILITIES
“One of the protocols is that ... all schools have instructions to have medical facilities very close to your school, so that within 15 minutes or so, you should have services to take them there,” he explained.
The Wolmer’s Boys’ School principal, whose school has a team doctor assigned, did admit, however, that some schools can afford medical teams and others can’t, but maintains that minimum requirements should be adhered to.
“It’s a lot of schools.
ISSA to ensure minimum therapeutic personnel present at all second-round matches
It is almost impossible to provide ambulance services for all schools, even if you were to get all the ambulances in Jamaica, the volume of matches we play we would not have them there,” he stressed.
He bemoaned that ISSA is not able to provide ambulance service for all schools throughout the competition.
SCHOOL NURSE AT MINIMUM
“Well, the protocol as it exists right now is that no match can be played unless there is medical personnel, so the minimum that we expect is that there must be at least a school nurse. Fortunately, for some schools, they can afford a medical practitioner and that has taken place,” he confirmed.
Small added that James’ loss has dampened the spirit of the competitions.
“We will be having conversations with the administration of the school, just to find out what their thoughts are as it relates to the school going forward in terms of playing the game.
“Condolences to his mother and father, the St George’s family and the sporting family in general,” Small said.