Belgian player in coma...

[Super_horns]

fighting for his life after a heart attack on the pitch.

Doesn't sound good at all.

Sporting Lokeren are "hoping for a miracle" after Belgian defender Gregory Mertens collapsed on the pitch with a heart-related illness.

He is in a critical condition after being given CPR in the first half of Monday's reserve-team game with Genk.

The 24-year-old is in an induced coma in a Genk hospital on a life support machine.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32492598

 

[Humongous Fungus]

So sad is this becoming more and more common?

 

[Mustard]

He didn't make it. Terrible news.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32537425

 

[ZianfrancoGoal]

So sad is this becoming more and more common?

Yeah, what's the deal with these heart conditions?

Do they affect the same proportion of young non-athletes as they do athletes?
Even though they're extremely fit, does the physical nature of their lifestyle put them more at risk should they have the underlying problem than it would an average person?
Is the reason we seem to be hearing of more cases recently purely because of better coverage?

 

[Oxcityhoop]

Very sad. R.I.P

 

[SALTIRE]

Dreadful news, poor guy.