SINGAPORE: In the wake of the death of a 14-year-old student-athlete, the Singapore Sports School (SSP) announced that it had dismissed a badminton coach whom they say should have checked on the teen who told him he was not feeling well. Pranav Madhaik was a Secondary 2 student at Singapore Sports School Badminton Academy.
The safety protocols of SSP say that coaches should account for their students before allowing them to go home from training. Based on the investigation carried out by the school, the badminton coach failed to do so.
Pranav had complained of feeling unwell after participating in a 400m fitness time trial on Oct 5. He was rushed to the National University Hospital, where he died on Wednesday (Oct 11), despite several surgeries performed by doctors in hopes of saving his life.
SSP issued a statement on Saturday (Oct 14) announcing the firing of the badminton coach and publishing its findings from the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the young boy’s death.
The statement said that the coach had told Pranav to rest after the teen expressed feeling unwell. Pranav then went to rest on the side of the track’s starting point. The coach left the track to talk to other student-athletes about competition matters, and then, unaware that Pranav was still resting, the coach left the school.
After a short while, a track and field coach noticed Pranav and asked another student to get water for the teen. But when this coach saw that the teen was having difficulty getting up even when helped by others, he alerted the school’s boarding staff.
An ambulance was called, and Pranav’s parents were informed of his condition. The teen was accompanied to the hospital by his coach, who had come back to the school. Pranav, unfortunately, succumbed to illness six days later, with the cause of death given as cardiac arrest with the antecedent cause of congenital malformation of coronary vessels.
“The Singapore Sports School takes this matter seriously. The coach has been served a notice of dismissal. The School is also reviewing and strengthening all its safety protocols and emphasised to coaches and staff the importance of adhering to them.
Singapore Sports School has met with the parents of Pranav on the evening of 13 Oct and shared with them the findings above. The School extends our deepest condolences to the family of Pranav, and is supporting the family in their time of grief,” SSP added in its statement. /TISG