New Delhi: A 15-year-old football player died after suffering serious head injuries during a post-match brawl with a rival team at an international youth tournament. Frankfurt police said in a statement that the match was played over the weekend and that a 16-year-old French team player has been detained for questioning. A brawl broke out after members of the French team and a Berlin team after the final whistle on Sunday, police said. Police said the victim suffered serious head or neck injuries and had collapsed. He was taken to a hospital after being treated by emergency medical personnel at the scene. The police probing the matter have requested witnesses to come forward and share the video of the clash. A spokeswoman for the Frankfurt prosecutor’s office said the victim, who was declared brain dead on Tuesday, was kept on life support so that her organs could be donated.
French club Metz said on Tuesday it was “deeply shocked” by the events at the tournament in Frankfurt. Metz confirmed that a player from its “demonstration programme”, a scheme which gives “young footballers … access to a high-level training structure from around the world”, was being held by the German authorities.
The club said the suspected attacker “denied the intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm.” Tournament organizers also said on Tuesday they were shocked by the incidents and described it as “incredibly sad”.