Kjaer and medics receive UEFA award for saving Eriksen

Eriksen
collapsed
during
Denmark’s
opener
against
Finland
in
June,
with
Kjaer
the
first
on
the
scene
to
place
his
team-mate
in
the
recovery
position
before
leading
his
side
to
form
a
protective
screen
while
the
Inter
man
received
treatment.

The
29-year-old
was
subsequently
taken
to
hospital,
where
he
was
fitted
with
a
pacemaker
before
returning
home,
though
it
remains
unclear
if
he
will
ever
play
again,
despite
visiting
Inter’s
training
ground
in
August.

For
Kjaer’s
exemplary
leadership,
the
centre-back
–
along
with
eight
medics
–
have
been
hailed
as
the
“true
heroes
of
Euro
2020”
and
presented
with
the
award
by
UEFA
President
Aleksander
Ceferin.

“This
year,
the
President’s
Award
transcends
football,”
Ceferin
said.

“It
serves
as
an
important
and
eternal
reminder
of
just
how
precious
life
is
and
puts
everything
in
our
lives
into
the
clearest
perspective.

“I
would
also
like
to
send
my
very
best
wishes
to
Christian
Eriksen
and
his
family
as
he
continues
his
recovery.”

After
Kjaer
had
performed
the
initial
CPR,
the
medical
team
responded
quickly,
resuscitating
Eriksen
before
taking
him
off
the
pitch
on
a
stretcher
to
rush
him
to
hospital.

“We
rushed
to
the
field
to
help
[Christian]
and
to
do
our
job,”
said
Mogens
Kreutzfeldt,
chief
medical
officer
for
Euro
2020
in
Copenhagen.

“We
did
what
we
should,
what
we
were
taught,
what
we
were
trained
to
do.

“Everybody
knew
their
role,
everybody
knew
what
to
do.

“We
were
not
emotional
at
the
scene.
Afterwards,
we
were,
of
course,
like
everybody.
We’re
very
happy
and
proud
of
the
outcome.”