Coroner's call to rugby chiefsafter player dies

A CORONER is to raise concerns with rugby chiefs after a man died after being injured in a match being watched by his teenage brothers.

Chris Brown, 24, of Silsden, Keighley, collapsed while playing for Silsden Park Rangers against Meltham All Blacks in a Pennine League match. The amateur rugby league player died in hospital more than a week later.

An inquest in Bradford heard yesterday how the prop forward had come off the pitch in the first half after being injured. He came on again in the second half but was again injured and came off.

Coroner Roger Whittaker said he had concerns about how Mr Brown was able to return to the pitch in the second half. He is to write to rugby chiefs asking them to investigate his concerns.

He said: “If any good thing is to come out of this tragedy I believe that the Rugby Football League should take action to ensure that there is proper protection for people that play.

“I am appalled to hear that contrary to the rules that have been demonstrated to me today there was no trained first-aider there who could assess whether or not a player was fit to return to play or not.”

The hearing was told Mr Brown, a bedroom furniture fitter, died of a brain injury and Mr Whittaker said considering the evidence presented to him he believed this had occurred in the first half of the match and allowing him to carry on playing had made his condition worse.

Witnesses said there appeared to be no senior first aider at the match, just a trainee.

The tragedy unfolded at the match which was being watched by Mr Brown’s two teenage brothers, Adam and Mark.

His father Steve Brown, a fireman, who arrived at the scene after the injuries, realised his son was having difficulty breathing and he himself performed a first aid manoeuvre to help unblock his airwaves.

The match referee, Rebecca Whiteley, said she had noticed Mr Brown staggering during the second half and had questioned him but he had no apparent injury and he said he was all right and could carry on.

Miss Whiteley, then a sixth-former who had only refereed about eight senior matches but who had handled a number of junior games, told the hearing she had not seen Mr Brown go off in the first half but said it was not unusual as teams could substitute players without asking a referee.

There was no touchline judge at the match last September.

Mr Whittaker asked Miss Whiteley if there was anything in the rules which said that if a player came off with a head injury that they should be seen by a medic.

“There’s nothing in force that says that but personally I do think that there should be something put in place,” she said.

Blake Solly, of the Rugby Football League, said a number of organisations were involved in the running of the sport but said recommendations and guidance was given to clubs.

If somebody had concussion they should be examined by a competent person.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Whittaker said he would write to the Rugby Football League raising a number of concerns which he hoped would be circulated to leagues and others.

Speaking afterwards Mr Brown’s mother, Linda, said she and her husband welcomed the coroner’s actions if it stopped another family going through what they had gone through.