Football Meets First Response—How A European Athlete’s Collapse on the Field Led to a CPR Revolution

Join us as Dr. Zoran Bahtijarević, Chief Medical Officer for the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), tells us about a remarkable effort that brought CPR training to 200,000 sports fans during UEFA Euro 2024. Inspired by high-profile cardiac cases like the on-field cardiac arrest experienced by Manchester United’s famed Christian Eriksen, UEFA partnered with the European Resuscitation Council (ERC). Together they provided hands-on and online digital life-saving training to every fan they could reach. From “fan zone” CPR booths to web-based courses featuring European football stars, this campaign set a new standard for public health education in sports.