Promising Chinese footballer left 'brain dead' after severe accident during training game in Spain

After a budding Chinese footballer was left with severe brain injuries following an accident during a training camp in Spain, his family members have slammed his club as well as the Beijing’s governing body for failing to cover his medical expenses.

Guo Jiaxuan, an academy recruit of Chinese Super League (CSL) club Beijing Guoan, suffered subarachnoid haemorrhage after colliding with another player during a training game against RC Alcobendas in Madrid, according to South China Morning Post.

The 18-year-old’s brother further revealed in a post on Chinese social networking platform RedNote that the incident has left him with “brain death” with “little chance of survival”.

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“During training (last Thursday), he was rushed to (hospital) after being hit in the head by another player’s knee.

“From the interpreter, I learned that the doctor at the hospital said my brother had too much bleeding in his head and that there was little hope of survival … the hospital was going to remove his [life support] tubes," Guo’s brother wrote.

Guo’s brother’s post added that a Spanish doctor told his family that the young footballer was at one point clinically dead due to lack of oxygen in the brain. Guo’s father, who had landed in Spain on Saturday, was later informed that the hospital had decided to switch off life support and conduct an autopsy as per Spanish laws.

The Beijing Football Association had initially said they would cover costs of Guo’s treatment in China. However, a Spanish court did not find the organisers accountable for the incident as Guo had met with an accident. And both BFA and Beijing Guoan later asked Guo’s family to reach out to their team of lawyers.

A spokesperson for BFA later stated that an agreement had been reached for the young footballer to be flown to China for further treatment and that they would “definitely do our best to ensure (medical costs are covered)”.

Besides representing Beijing Guoan’s academy, Guo has also represented the Chinese U-17 national team as well as FC Bayern World Squad.

“We send him, his family and his team our support in this very difficult time,” the club said. “From the bottom of our hearts, we wish him a speedy recovery,” RC Alcobendas wrote in a statement on its social media accounts.