In football and as in general sports, the stretcher-bearers normally have just the one job to do– to carry an injured player outside the pitch for further treatment. Over in Greece’s second division, Ergotelis midfielder Leonardo Koutris found himself on the receiving end of some rough treatment against AE Larissa at the weekend.
We’re not talking about Nigel De Jong’s kung-fu kicks, Luis Suarez’s bites or strong tackles from hothead Gennaro Gattuso, but rather the actions of the medical staff on duty. Midfielder Koutris was being rushed off the field to receive treatment when an assistant dropped the stretcher, inflicting more pain on the already suffering player.
The injured player was dropped and then toppled by the clumsy stretcher-bearer with a minimum of care and attention. The two medics dropped him not once but twice before carting him over to the touchline but only as if they had the least regard for the injured player.
Usually, when an injured player is taken off the pitch in a football match, the stretcher-bearers make sure they take good care and at the least try not to inflict further pain on the player. However, it was not the case in this particular incident. The pair unceremoniously dumped Koutris onto the floor once again, as though they were carrying a sack of potatoes.
The incident was rather comical and it occurred 66 minutes into Ergotelis’ 2-1 defeat to Larissa. And just when poor old Koutris thought his afternoon couldn't get any worse, his side went and suffered a 2-1 defeat just to cap it all off.
It all makes for a hilarious 30 seconds of footage. Have a look.
