The iconic and mesmerizing Melbourne Cricket Ground was host to an all important clash between the Melbourne and Carlton Football Club. The two teams locked horns against each other for a place in the final of the Australian Football League (AFL). Their clash was a highly anticipated match that saw the multiple ebbs and flows, with an unlikely victor at the end.
The Carlton Football Club eventually won the semi-final clash, but all the attention was towards the tragic incident that occurred in the Shane Warne stands of the stadium. A 50-year-old patron passed away after going into a cardiac arrest, turning the much awaited match into a tragic and devastating affair.
Iconic Melbourne stadium rocked by fan death
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Channel Nine’s Caroline Wilson revealed the details of the tragic incident during a news broadcast. The 50-year-old woman apparently choked after dining during one of the AFL functions and that sent her into a cardiac arrest. People around could not come to her aid and she tragically passed away in the stands.
“Details are emerging but AFL staff who were at that function are being looked after this morning,” Wilson told her viewers.
“Very distressing incident.”
Ambulance Victoria authorities confirmed they received a distress call at around 6:50pm. Medical emergency responders tried to revive the patron at the scene but were unable to do so. With the cause of death already confirmed, they are not treating it as a case of suspicious demise.
The death of the patron was not the only incident that took place that day. A certain AFL guest, part of the sponsors entourage, racially abused Carlton player Adam Saad. People present in the stands heard the comments and authorities were alerted immediately.
Unfortunate incident clouds baffling match result
The two teams, Melbourne and Carlton Football Club, met for an all important semi-final match, but celebrations were short-lived with unwanted controversies and tragic moments. The instance of racial abuse to player Adam Saad was during the game was not the first he experienced something like this.
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During the 2022 season, a fan in stands labelled him as a “terrorist” during their match against Adelaide. Authorities present questioned the fan, but he was eventually allowed to attend the remainder of the game.
The death of the patron was truly a somber and sad moment in what was a very intense and closely fought match. The Melbourne team was in cruise control and looked like they would walk away with a victory and a berth in the prelim finals but it was not to be.
With a nine-point gap and only the last quarter left, Carlton fans had lost all hope, but their players did not. They rose from the ashes to score two quick goals and turn a night of celebration for the Dees fans into a night of horror. They clocked a two-point win and sent their fans present in the stadium into a frenzy.
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The team will be playing its first final since 2000 and will lock horns with Brisbane at the iconic Gabba.
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