Struck by lightning on football field, Indonesian player dies, leaving teammates in shock

Struck by lightning during a football match, a 35-year-old Indonesian player died during a friendly match between 2 FLO FC Bandung and FBI Subang.

The distressing event was reported across the Indonesian media on Monday, 12 February. The incident was captured in a video from the stands, the player – isolated in the field – can be seen getting struck by lightning.

This is the second such incident in the past year that has come out of Indonesia. Reports by local media state that the man was still breathing after the accident but died due to injuries sustained. Earlier, a young football player in Bojonegoro, East Java was struck by lightning during the Soeratin U-13 Cup in 2023. He had suffered a cardiac arrest and later died in the Ibnu Sina Hospital in Bojonegoro.

These incidents highlight the dangers of lightning to outdoor sports activities and have prompted discussions about safety measures during adverse weather conditions. However, according to the local media, the match started under clear skies, however, the weather took a turn for the worse during the game.

According to the refereeing rulebook, the referee holds the interpretation of poor weather in most parts of the world. In the Netherlands, all football games were suspended on February 8, 2020 due to high wind speeds in the country.

The Royal Netherlands Football Association had said in a statement that, after discussions with clubs, police, and municipalities, it “concluded that because of the expected weather conditions the safety of supporters and players cannot be guaranteed.”

The top three clubs — Ajax, AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord — all were scheduled to play in the four matches scheduled that day.