Muamba was 'effectively dead' for 78 minutes

Bolton Wanderers footballer Fabrice Muamba was 'effectively dead' for more than an hour as doctors battled to save his life following a cardiac arrest, it was revealed yesterday.


Fabrice Muamba

Muamba collapsed towards the end of the first half of Bolton's FA Cup quarter-final against Tottenham at White Hart Lane last Saturday.

Bolton team doctor Jonathan Tobin said the player's heart had stopped working for 48 minutes before his arrival in hospital and for half an hour afterwards. "In effect he was dead in that time," Tobin said.