Indian footballer dies after fatal goal celebration

Bethlehem Vengthlang FC midfielder dies from spinal cord damage after attempting to celebrate a goal with a somersault

NEW DELHI: A 23-year-old Indian footballer has died from severe spinal cord damage after attempting to celebrate a goal with a somersault, an official told Reuters on Monday.

Bethlehem Vengthlang FC midfielder Peter Biaksangzuala died on Sunday at a hospital in the northeastern Indian state of Mizoram after the incident in Tuesday's match in the third tier Mizoram Premier League (MPL).

"We are shocked by the case. We at the Mizoram Football Association did all we could but could not save him," MFA secretary Lalnghinglova Hmar told Reuters by telephone.

After scoring the equaliser against Chanmari West FC, a flipping Biaksangzuala landed awkwardly and was lying unconscious as his team mates surrounded him and gestured for help.

"The association president also being the state health minister, he did all that was possible even though he was out of station.”

"We considered the option to fly him to Delhi but his condition was pretty bad. He was mostly unconscious, occasionally spelling out a few words," Hmar said.

Bethlehem has decided to retire the number 21 jersey as a tribute to Biaksangzuala while Hmar said MFA would organise a match in his memory.