NEW DELHI: During the
Copa America
Group A encounter between Peru and Canada held at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, an incident involving an
assistant referee
left the spectators stunned.
The match, characterized by its hot and humid conditions, saw
Humberto Panjoj
, the assistant referee, collapse on the field. This event took place in the latter part of the first half, specifically during stoppage time.
The situation unfolded as Canada's goalkeeper
Maxime Crepeau
noticed Panjoj's distress and signalled for medical assistance.
Watch:
Subsequently, medical personnel attended to Panjoj on the sidelines. After receiving initial treatment, he managed to stand up briefly before it was deemed necessary to transport him off the field using a stretcher for further medical evaluation and care.
The weather conditions were notably challenging, with AccuWeather reporting an expected high of 34 degrees Celsius (93 degrees Fahrenheit) and a humidity level of 53% in Kansas City on the day of the match.
At the time of the incident, the scoreline between Peru and Canada was 0-0, indicating an evenly-matched contest heading into halftime. Within the broader context of the tournament, Argentina were leading Group A with three points.
Both Peru and Chile had secured a point each, placing them in a competitive position within the group. Canada, having lost their opening match, was positioned at the bottom of the group standings.
This occurrence underscores the potential impact of environmental conditions on the health and performance of individuals participating in outdoor sporting events. The match proceeded under these challenging conditions, with all teams in Group A vying for advancement in the Copa America tournament.
English (US) ·