Fourteen-year-old kickboxer dies after collapsing following fight

Fourteen-year-old kickboxer Scott Marsden died after collapsing while competing for a national title in Leeds, England, according to the BBC.

The cause of death is unknown but Marsden appeared to suffer a serious injury during a match on Saturday.

A person who was at the event told the Daily Mail that Madsen didn’t collapse due to a shot to the head. Shots to the head were legal due to the match not being sanctioned by the British Kickboxing Council since Marsden and his opponent were under the age of 16 and were allowed to kick and punch each other in the head.

“Not just WKA but the world of Kickboxing is mourning such a well loved and respected fighter and sportsman,” World Kickboxing Association England president Jon Green said in a statement. “One of our finest champions in every sense in the ring and true ambassador of the values out of the ring.”

Green didn’t put any blame on the promoter of the event. Instead, he went on the offensive against the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, saying they didn’t respond in time to save Marsden.

“Unfortunately there were complications where additional emergency response was needed to which NHS emergency response requests failed in a way that cannot be comprehended,” Green said. “There are many questions to be answered. I owe it to Scott and the Marsden family that they get answers to why our 999 service has let them down. Our sport is a contact sport but every precaution is in place to have protection and to be able respond to keep our fighters safe.”

Dr. David Macklin, who is the executive director of operations at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, disagreed with Green’s statement, saying his response team was called at 10:30 p.m. local time and did everything they possibly could to save Marsden’s life.

“A private events medical team was on scene with the patient and the nearest available ambulance was dispatched to the incident and arrived on scene at 10: 51 p.m.,” Macklin said. “In addition, we dispatched the West Yorkshire Medic Response Team with a doctor on board, and a clinical supervisor specially trained in advanced resuscitation techniques. All of our staff worked tirelessly to provide the patient with the best possible care and transport him to hospital for further treatment.”

A statement was released on the Facebook page of Marsden’s kickboxing gym following his death.

A crowdfunding page has been set up by a family friend to help the Marsden family during this tragic time.

“Our lovely Scotty, who suffered an injury on Saturday [March 11] whilst doing the thing he loved, kickboxing, sadly never recovered,” Charlotte Rowlett wrote on JustGiving.com.

“Everything Scotty did, he did with passion and a confidence that was a pleasure to behold,” Rowlett continued. “[H]e was the most wonderful, talented boy and the loss of him will leave a hole in so many people’s lives.”