A 16-year-old Russian soccer player wearing a metal chain around his neck suffered serious injury when he was struck by lightning on July 4th at the pitch.
A viral online video shows goalkeeper Znamya Truda Ivan Zakborovsky getting zapped in shocking footage by electrostatic discharge.
He was struck by the lightning at the same time as he kicked the football. He is in critical condition at this moment.
His girlfriend Yelena told Podyem media: “He is in stable condition. He regained consciousness but due to a strong painful shock he had to be put back into a coma. His parents are at his bedside. He has a scar around his neck where the lightning hit his chain, and that his lung was damaged. He needs time to stabilize.”
Club general director Igor Mayorov said: “There was a clear sky, albeit overcast, but neither rain nor wind. If there was a thunderstorm, then we would not have been training.”
Zakborovsky was taken to hospital, where he was put in an induced coma by doctors.
16 year old Ivan Zaborovsky in intensive care after being hit by lightning.
He was training with FC Znamya Truda pic.twitter.com/du4otHSRUq
— Alan Moore (@DangerKidsBooks) July 5, 2020
While suffering severe burns, his club tweeted that his condition is stable and that there is no “life-threat.”
“Everyone acted quickly, very professionally, the ambulance arrived in eight minutes,” added Mayorov. “Most likely he had a respiratory arrest, he received first aid, maybe because of this the child is alive.”
Mayorov added that the boy’s “recovery dynamics are positive.”
