If you were watching Denmark take on Finland earlier today in this summer’s Euro 2020 tournament, you may have seen one of the most nightmarish scenes from a live sporting event in recent memory. Without warning, Danish international Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch 42 minutes into the game. The crowd at the stadium, located in Copenhagen, fell silent. Eriksen’s teammates surrounded him as medics administered treatment, and the looks on the faces of players from both teams spoke volumes as to how serious the situation was.
Thankfully, Eriksen was stablized once he reached the hospital. Sky Sports Italy journalist Fabrizio Romano reported that Eriksen was well enough to Facetime with his teammates before the match — which had been suspended — resumed later in the day. (Finland won, 1-0.)
The medical team who responded to the crisis has been praised for their work; the same is true for Eriksen’s teammate Simon Kjaer, who placed Eriksen in the recovery position immediately after his fall. And the outpouring of support for Eriksen included messages of support from club teammates past and present.
How broadcasters handled the aftermath of Eriksen’s collapse proved to be a more contentious subject. The Danish team formed a wall around Eriksen to ensure privacy for him and the medics working on him; however, a number of other very private moments (including footage of Eriksen’s wife, who was understandably distraught) did end up airing.
On Twitter, journalist Ash Sarkar offered one of the most incisive critiques of how the crisis was handled — namely, that broadcasters like the BBC had the option to cut to the studio and didn’t make use of it.
“Journalists can do their job of reporting what’s going on without cameras treating a man’s life hanging in the balance as spectacle,” Sarkar wrote. Wanting an update on Eriksen’s situation is entirely understandable; wanting a window into a family’s private grief and fears is not.
More Like This
Whether you’re looking to get into shape, or just get out of a funk, The Charge has got you covered. Sign up for our new wellness newsletter today.
