Edoardo Bove (foto: Getty Images)
Fiorentina midfielder Edoardo Bove has undergone surgery to have a defibrillator fitted after suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch earlier this month during a Serie A clash with Inter Milan.
he incident halted play on December 1 and left fans and players in shock.
The 22-year-old collapsed during the match, which was subsequently stopped and called off. He was immediately rushed to the intensive care unit at the Careggi hospital in Florence, where tests ruled out significant damage to his central nervous and cardio-respiratory systems.
Bove has been awake and undergoing thorough medical evaluations for over a week and is expected to be discharged in the coming days. Italian outlets Sky Sport and Gazzetta dello Sport report that the defibrillator was successfully implanted on Tuesday morning.
While Fiorentina declined to comment on the reports, the procedure raises concerns about Bove’s ability to continue his football career in Italy. Italian health regulations prohibit athletes from playing competitive sports with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), which is designed to prevent life-threatening cardiac events.
A similar case occurred with Danish footballer Christian Eriksen, who suffered a cardiac arrest during the 2021 European Championship. After having an ICD implanted, Eriksen was no longer allowed to play in Serie A and subsequently left Inter Milan. Eriksen now plays for Manchester United and continues to represent Denmark internationally.
If the reports are confirmed, Bove may need to consider relocating to another league with less stringent medical restrictions to continue his career. His health and future in football now hang in the balance as he recovers from the life-saving operation.
Bove's case has once again highlighted the critical importance of rapid medical response in football and the role of defibrillators in saving lives on the pitch.