Former Ghanaian international footballer, Augustine Arhinful, has expressed his belief that Raphael Dwamena, who tragically passed away in November 2023, would still be alive if he had heeded the advice of his doctors and retired from professional football.
Dwamena, a former FC Zurich striker, collapsed during a football match, marking the second time in two years that he had suffered such an incident. This time, however, it proved fatal.
Speaking at Dwamena's burial service, Arhinful highlighted that Dwamena should have prioritized professional medical advice over personal faith, implying that adherence to his Christian beliefs might have influenced his decision to continue playing.
"It’s not about being a Christian. It is about believing in what someone who in this case is a medical practitioner who has studied and knows exactly what your body needs," he said.
"So it has got nothing to do with faith or Christianity for that matter."
Arhinful also suggested that familial pressure might have played a role in Dwamena's choice to continue playing despite the health risks.
He proposed that had Dwamena retired as advised, he would still be alive and could have transitioned into a coaching role to remain involved in the sport he loved.
"I don’t know if it was pressure from the family. He played some years out there so he had his house, some money in the bank so if he had stopped, his life would have continued," continued.
"He could have been a coach, if indeed he loves soccer so much, to still be in the game. If he had taken a different decision, he would (have) still been here with us," he added.
Dwamena's heart condition had been identified during a medical examination at Brighton and Hove Albion in August 2017. Subsequent health checks at Real Zaragoza in Spain and at Veije in Denmark further highlighted the issue.
In January 2020, despite recommendations to stop playing, Dwamena decided to continue with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. However, ten months later, he was once again advised against playing due to the risks.
In October 2021, Dwamena experienced another collapse on the field, which led to medical advice for him to retire from professional football. Sadly, he ultimately succumbed to a similar incident during a league match in Albania in November 2023.
Through Arhinful's perspective, Dwamena's story becomes a cautionary tale about the importance of prioritizing professional medical advice and health over other considerations, especially when they involve potential life-threatening conditions.