Raphael Dwamena Removed Device That Could Have Saved His Life, Past Doctor Expresses Regret

Ghanaian striker Raphael Dwamena removed the device in his chest that could have saved him from death when he suffered a cardiac arrest on a football pitch

Dwamena was diagnosed with a heart condition in 2017 and had an implantable defibrillator to monitor his heart rate in 2020

The striker had been advised to quit football by doctors because of the risk associated with his heart condition

Late Ghanaian striker Raphael Dwamena removed the device in his chest that could have saved him from death when he suffered a cardiac arrest on a football pitch.

Antonio Asso, the cardiologist who fitted Dwamena’s defibrillator, told The Athletic that his decision to remove the device resulted in his death when playing for Egnatia in Albania.

Dwamena collapsed on the pitch during a match between his club FK Egnatia and Partizani Tirana on November 11, 2023.

The defibrillator had saved his life after a previous collapse, but the striker asked that it be taken out of his chest.