The coach admits to giving up the European title after cardiac arrest on the bench

This does not happen every day, but still touching examples come to us from sports.

And the gesture that Bennett Wiegert made on Sunday is one of the greatest examples of fair play in recent history.

First of all, put it in context.

Bennett Wigert is the coach of the Magdeburg handball team that, on Sunday, became European champions by defeating Poland’s Kielce in extra time in the final match held in Cologne.

But Wiegert admitted to giving up playing to the end and handing the title to the opponent.

All this happened in the 18th minute of the second half. Pawel Kotowicka, a Polish journalist who had followed the Polish club for several years, suffered a cardiac arrest in the stands. When they realized the situation, the referees stopped the match.

Paramedics on the ward rushed to the journalist’s aid and the final match was halted for 15 minutes until the victim was removed from the ward.

And the gesture of the German coach appeared during that break. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Wiegert looked for Kielsea’s coach Tallant Gushbayev and suggested that he finish the match, assuming the score that was recorded at that time: 22-20 for the Polish national team. “There are more important things than sports,” he justified.

The suggestion was made in front of one of the match officials and the delegate to the match and confirmed by Paul Babbage, the Kelsey manager.

“Shortly after Paul Kotoeka collapsed, coach Bennett Wiegert approached Talllant and suggested ending the game with a score at the break, meaning Kelsey would win the title,” Babbage stated.

′′ Tallant thanked the sportsmanship gesture and agreed the match could be finished. But he said he would not accept victory. The final match will end without a winner, ”added the same official.

And it ended with the resumption of the match and Magdeburg, who lost last year in the European League final at the hands of Benfica, became European champions, winning in overtime 30-29.

However, the worst news for Kielce came around 20 minutes from the end of the game, when news came out that Pawel Kotoeka had not survived cardiac arrest.

Nawet nie wiesz ile ten club ci zawdzięcza …

Twoje miejsce na trybunie prasowej w Hali Legionów zostanie zastrzeżone. Już na Zagsze będzie Twoje, bo wiemy, że będziesz #a reason z nami na każdym kolejnym meczu. pic.twitter.com/7ALNZzUorV

– Barlink Industry Kielce (kielcehandball)
June 19, 2023