Key result
Only 30% of German amateur football clubs have an AED available for sudden cardiac arrest.
Why the study?
Emergency care for sudden cardiac arrest is strictly regulated in professional football, but the situation and emergency readiness in amateur football remain unclear.
Cross-Sectional (n=161)
Yes
German amateur football clubs demonstrate low emergency readiness for sudden cardiac arrest, highlighting a need for increased AED availability and CPR training.
Supports calls to improve AED availability and CPR training in amateur sports; leaves open whether such measures reduce SCA mortality.
Objective: While emergency care for sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is strictly regulated in professional football, the situation in amateur football is unclear. This study investigated the emergency readiness for SCA in German amateur football clubs. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 253 German amateur football clubs (fifth division and lower) was conducted between January and August 2023. Club representatives participated in a 30-point questionnaire on automated external defibrillator (AED) availability, visibility, purchase, usage, frequency of staff trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and AED usage, regular CPR and AED training, and the existence of an emergency action plan (EAP). Results: 161 of 253 eligible clubs (64% response rate) participated. An AED was available in 48/161 (30%) clubs. 46 of 161 clubs (29%) had no CPR-trained staff. A high availability of CPR- and AED-trained staff (>75% likelihood of being present at the pitch) was more likely during a match (61% and 84%) than training (40% and 51%), respectively. Retrospectively, over 7 years, five clubs reported that CPR-trained staff used an AED, resulting in a survival rate of 80%. 16 clubs (10%) had an EAP in the event of an SCA. Conclusion: German amateur football clubs show low emergency readiness for SCA despite a promising survival rate when an AED is used by CPR-trained staff on-site. Regular CPR and AED training for club members, increased availability of AEDs, and the development of EAPs might be beneficial in responding adequately to an SCA during football training and matches.
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Egger et al. (2025) conducted a cross-sectional in Sudden cardiac arrest (n=161). Emergency readiness assessment was evaluated on Automated external defibrillator (AED) availability. Emergency readiness for sudden cardiac arrest in German amateur football clubs is low, with only 30% of surveyed clubs having an AED available and 10% having an emergency action plan.
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