The responsibility to ensure goalpost safety, and that sports facilities are well maintained to the correct standard is down to the facility operators who could find themselves liable if an accident occurs where a staff member is found not to be competent. – MH Goals, UK sporting goods manufacturers
I received three photos on the tragic incident involving a Primary 5 pupil of a school in Bintulu who died in a freak accident after being struck by a goalpost during a physical education activity on Sept 29. The pictures in my email showed the toppled goalpost.
The 11-year-old succumbed to serious head injuries after he was struck by the crossbar.
Reports of the incident were widely covered by national mainstream media, portals – including the Singapore-based asia1.topnews.media – and the fatal incident went viral on social media.
A local newspaper reported Bintulu police as saying that post-mortem reports found no element of foul play. And police appealed to the public not to form their own versions of the tragedy or “spread false news to avoid causing anxiety among the community”.
Police classified the incident as sudden death.
Well, the sooner the authorities investigate the incident and close the case the better so as not to cause unnecessary uneasiness in the community. I don’t think it is a complicated case that needs to be dragged on!
Who would have thought a pupil in Sarawak could be killed by a goalpost during a school activity?
The shock sent through the state got many to question the safety of school sports facilities, and netizens in particular, are wondering if adequate safety measures are in place.
We have read about such incidents happening in other states, including in Sabah. Hardly a year ago, an 11-year-old, also a Primary Five pupil, was killed after a goalpost crossbar fell on top of him during a sporting event at his school in Manggatal, Kota Kinabalu, on October 20, 2022.
As in the Bintulu case, Sabah police classified it as sudden death, clarifying that investigations found no foul play.
Neighbouring Singapore also reported a fatality involving a 12-year old Secondary 1 student from Geylang Methodist School on April 24, 2017. The student was struck by the crossbar after the goalpost collapsed and struck his head, knocking him unconscious. He died while receiving treatment at the hospital.
Incidents of pupils being seriously injured by toppled goalpost seem to getting too frequent for comfort.
News channel Astro Awani came up with a chronology on July 14, 2016 of students killed by falling goalposts in Malaysia. That was seven years ago. The figures have increased since then.
I reproduce the following non-exhaustive list:
July 12, 2016: Nik Mohd Lutfi Nik Kamaruddin, apparently slipped and fell in front of a goalpost in his school in Gua Musang, Kelantan, during a PE class. The 14-year-old died of head injuries after the goalpost fell on him.
April 10, 2014: A Standard One student died after a goalpost fell and hit him while he was playing in a field near Taman Sri Wangsa, Jalan Parit Besar in Batu Pahat, Johor. Ahmad Ilham Fikri Ahmad Zaki, 8, died due to head injury in the 6.30 pm incident.
Sept 19, 2011: In Klang, Selangor, 11-year-old Muhammad Fakhrul Amid Abdul Rahman died of severe head injuries after being hit by a falling goalpost while playing football in the school field of SK Kampung Jawa 1. The Standard Five student suffered severe bleeding and cracked skull.
Nov 4, 2010: A child died in Pulau Pinang Hospital due to injuries after being hit by falling goalpost at a school field. The incident in Kepala Batas involved a Standard Two student from SK Kepala Batas.
Jan 30, 2008: In Sungai Petani, Kedah, a Year Four student died after being hit by a falling goalpost while playing at a field in SK Taman Sri Wang. The incident occurred after school hours while the student was waiting for his father.
March 7, 2000: A Form Two student was killed after being hit by a falling goalpost while playing golf in a school in Kuantan, Pahang.
Now, what are our school authorities and other relevant agencies doing to curb this alarming trend?
Have they determined the cause of these incidents? Is it caused by lack of safety measures, unsafe behaviour of the pupils or unsafe conditions of the goalpost designs?
The Ministry of Education (MoE) must make concerted efforts to investigate and study in detail, and implement strategies to prevent the recurrence of these incidents. About time the ministry issued guidelines to enhance sports safety in schools.
Another concern is whether schools are getting enough grants to check and maintain aging facilities?
Judging from the photos of the Bintulu incident (see accompanying pictures), the goalpost appears rusty. Apparently, it is not properly maintained. The main reason often given by Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) and school authorities for non-maintenance is lack of funding from the MoE!
PTAs need to take proactive steps such as giving priority to safety of school facilities; any funding from their constituency YBs should be channelled towards maintaining school facilities, especially sports equipment, rather than on annual gatherings and purchase of mementoes.
On the part of sports masters, they should conduct security checks on goalposts and check the condition of the frame. Inspections should be carried out periodically or as often as possible before use. If the goalposts are risky, don’t use them; repair them immediately.
Finally, perhaps we should also do away with mobile goalposts, as suggested by parents in other countries who want their governments to make it compulsory for the installation of fixed goalposts in schools, following the deaths of several pupils since 1986.
Don’t wait for more tragedies; or are we waiting for fatal cases involving children of prominent members of society before taking action? Act now, before more sports deaths occur in our schools.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
