AUSTRALIA’S A-League have been slammed for a lack of on-site ambulances after Adelaide star Juande suffered a horror lower-leg break against Melbourne City.
The awful incident occurred during Sunday’s 3-3 draw in the top-flight clash.
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Juande challenged City’s Florin Berenguer for the ball in the 66th minute at AAMI Park when a loud crack was heard upon impact.
It resulted in the bottom of the Spaniard’s right leg being left at an unnatural angle as players from both teams – some in tears – instantly calling for medics.
However, it took 13 MINUTES for an ambulance to arrive at the ground with Juande’s leg screened off so that he could not be shown on camera while he underwent preliminary treatment.
Ambulance Victoria have not been stationed at A-Leagues matches since November 2018 as the decision was made to have emergency physicians at stadiums instead.
Juande was eventually taken to hospital and he underwent surgery later in Sunday night.
Adelaide’s Australian boss Carl Veart, who previously played in England for Sheffield United, Wolves and Millwall, said: “It’s something that you don’t want to ever witness on a football field.
“It was hard to see and hard to have to wait that long for him to get removed off the pitch. I’m just devastated for him.
“As far as I’m understanding, it’s a Victorian government thing, that doesn’t have the ambulance at sporting events. I think it’s the only state in Australia.
“It’s disappointing at a professional sport that you don’t have emergency care straight away because he was in a lot of pain, and to wait that long – it wasn’t a nice thing to be witnessing that.”
The A-League later confirmed the ambulance policy to AAP.
A-League commissioner Greg O’Rourke said: “In November 2018, static ambulance services were withdrawn by Ambulance Victoria and instead emergency physicians were installed at the stadium.
“Emergency physicians are doctors who have specialised in emergency medicine. As specialist medical practitioners they are able to provide a higher level of care than a paramedic.
“That change was approved by PFA (Professional Footballers Australia) in 2018 and has been policy in Victoria ever since. In every other state, it remains policy to have static ambulances.”
