Riccardo Chetta: Italian footballer, 39, dies after collapsing during training session as club Parabita City leads tributes
A footballer has died after collapsing during a training session in Italy, despite desperate efforts by teammates and medical staff to save him.
Riccardo Chetta, 39, was taking part in a small-sided practice match when he suddenly sat down and then collapsed.
Teammates and club staff immediately rushed to his aid, performing CPR and using an on-site defibrillator at the Collepasso sports ground.
Emergency services arrived within around 15 minutes and continued resuscitation attempts. Chetta was pronounced dead about an hour later.
The incident happened on January 16 in the province of Lecce while Chetta was training with Parabita City, a club that competes in Italy’s over-30s amateur football league.
Initial findings suggest he died from a malignant arrhythmia involving ventricular fibrillation, a severe heart rhythm disorder that prevents the heart from pumping blood effectively and can lead to cardiac arrest.
Chetta, who was from Parabita, was well-known locally and worked in Lecce’s tourism sector. He is survived by his wife, Ilaria, their two sons aged six and three, his parents, and a sister.
His funeral was held in Parabita on Thursday, January 22.
A spokesperson for Parabita City said: “We gather around a man who gave his all for our colours and for our community - a man we thank for his lightheartedness, his simplicity, and his generosity towards everyone.
“Goodbye, Ricky. Have a safe journey.”