Fan dies of heart attack

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-14  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

A YOUNG Croatian football fan in Austria for the European Championship died on Thursday of an apparent heart attack just hours before his team defeated Germany 2-1.

Police did not identify the victim in keeping with Austrian practice but said he appeared to be about 20 years old.

He collapsed in a fan zone in the southern Austrian city of Klagenfurt, the venue for the Germany-Croatia match.

The Austria Press Agency said that a police officer trained in first-aid techniques revived the victim at the scene but he died later in the hospital, shortly before the opening whistle.

Fan zones have been set up in all the host cities in Austria and neighboring Switzerland in an effort to provide supporters an area where they can enjoy a drink, a variety of food and a chance to watch the games on wide-screen monitors in the company of other fans.

Croatia's 2-1 victory on Thursday gives the team six points in Group B.