Christian Eriksen could be allowed to resume his football career with a return to England, but only if he passes a cardiac assessment held on behalf of the Football Association (FA).
Eriksen, 29, has not been able to play a single minute of competitive football since he collapsed due to a cardiac arrest during Denmark’s Euro 2020 opener against Finland back in June.
The Inter Milan and former Tottenham playmaker required a defibrillator to be used on the pitch in Copenhagen before being stabilised at a local hospital.
He has since undergone an operation to fit an implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), a type of pacemaker which sends a shock to the heart if an abnormal rhythm is detected.
But, according to the Cardiological Organisational Committee for Sports Fitness, the device’s implementation prevents Eriksen from competing on any level in Italy.
However, he may able to continue his football career with a return to England, as the Premier League currently permits players to participate if they have an ICD fitted.
He would have to pass a sports assessment set by a cardiologist acting on behalf of the FA to get the ball rolling on the resumption of his career.
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An FA spokesperson told the PA news agency: “With regard to Christian Eriksen playing in England, it is impossible to comment on his individual circumstances without knowledge of his condition and the risks associated with it. As always, any assessment would be on an individual basis.
“In England, any player that has an abnormal cardiac screen or who develops a cardiac problem would be assessed by a sports cardiologist.
“We would expect the sports cardiologist to be a member of The FA Cardiac Consensus Panel, a group of experienced sports cardiologists who advise The FA with regard to these issues and provide consultation and screening expertise for our cardiac screening programmes in professional football.
“This would also be done in association with the team doctor who usually looks after them. The cardiologist would look at the individual circumstances and the risk surrounding the player and they would make a decision on whether the player could continue to play or should stop.”
Spurs Web Opinion
It would be a huge shame to see a player of Eriksen’s quality not able to resume his football career, but it is paramount that his safety is cleared and put first.
This is the first step of getting him back on the pitch, and hopefully, he will be able to get back playing safely.
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