INTERNATIONAL
Quick-acting Aurier saves Moussa Doumbia's life
Moussa Doumbia collapsed and swallowed his own tongue after clashing during Mali's meeting with Ivory Coast. Serge Aurier acted quickly to save his life...
On-field seizure
Drama ensued in Ivory Coast's meeting with Mali on Saturday when Moussa Doumbia leapt to meet a high ball and suffered a fierce collision with a rival player. The Rostok midfielder tumbled to the floor and lost consciousness. As players from both sides gathered around to see if he was ok, it soon became apparent that Doumbia was motionless - and the only one who instantly knew what to do was Serge Aurier.
The Paris Saint-Germain player knelt down next to Doumbia, put him into the recovery position and put two fingers inside his mouth as a makeshift tracheal tube to keep the player's airways open - essentially stopping him from suffocating.
Doumbia “had swallowed his tongue and was choking', Giresse told French radio station RMC. “That's when Serge Aurier, along with one of our players, had the presence of mind to quickly put him (Doumbia) on his side and to use his hand to pull his tongue out as he was dying. It was an incredible reaction from Aurier. I spoke to him afterwards and I even thanked him for his cool head”, said Mali coach Alain Giresse afterwards.
