15th June, 2015
The remains of T-Team skipper, David Faramola Oniya of Nigeria, who died after collapsing on the field due to heart complications during a friendly match against Super League side Kelantan at the Sultan Mohd IV Stadium in Kota Baru, Malaysia at the weekend will be sent back to Nigeria.
Terengganu state Youth, Sports and Human Resource Committee chairman Datuk Rozi Mamat said Oniya’s family had been contacted in Lagos and informed of the player’s death. Rozi said they (Terengganu) were also in touch with the Nigerian Embassy to expedite the process of sending home Oniya’s remains to Nigeria for burial.
“The procedures at the Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital (HRPZII) in Kelantan has been completed and we have contacted Oniya’s father in Nigeria and his wife in Uzbekistan…his father wants his son’s remains to be sent to Nigeria.
“We will make the necessary arrangements as soon as possible. All the costs involved will also be absorbed by us,” he said.
The 30-year-old Oniya who was playing in his first season in the Premier League in Malaysia collapsed barely three minutes into the game and was rushed to the Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital.
The friendly match was called off in the 60th minute as soon as news of his death was received. Before signing for Terengganu, Oniya had played for Club Neftchi FK (Fergana) in the Uzbekistan League.
Reports from Malaysia early today revealed that Oniya might have survived the heart attack if ambulance had arrived early enough to take him to the hospital. According to the New Straits Times, the ambulance driver was watching the match in the stands when Oniya collapsed.
It took the driver several minutes to bring the ambulance out, but by that time Oniya was already unconscious.
Syahrizan Mohd Zain, the club’s CEO, said the first responders could have prevented the death.
“He suffered a heart attack, but it could have been a different story had the ambulance driver been alert,” Zain told the newspaper.
“The driver was at the stands watching the game when Oniya suddenly collapsed, and our defender was deprived of oxygen for several minutes.” Oniya was pronounced dead at the hospital.