A SUFFOLK Football Association chief today urged amateur players to take out accident insurance before they take to the field.His call comes after an Ipswich man was left thousands of pounds out of pocket following a horror injury.
A SUFFOLK Football Association chief today urged amateur players to take out accident insurance before they take to the field.
His call comes after an Ipswich man was left thousands of pounds out of pocket following a horror injury.
Martin Head, FA county secretary, issued his warning after it was revealed that a Sunday league player could not claim from the FA's benevolent fund despite missing more than six months of work after shattering his leg in a tackle.
Lee Jacobs was playing for CJU Football Club in a cup match earlier this year when he snapped his fibula and tibia, and later shredded the skin on his leg when he passed out and fitted on the Bourne Park pitch following a '50-50' challenge.
Doctors were nearly forced to amputate the 29-year-old sales assistant's leg and had to graft skin to cover the wound.
Mr Jacobs' lengthy rehabilitation, which included two weeks in hospital and hours of physiotherapy, meant he could not work.
He estimates that his loss of earnings runs into several thousand pounds.
However neither he nor his club were insured, while CJU FC did not make any donations to the FA's benevolent fund when invited to at the start of every season, meaning Mr Jacobs, of Cardiff Avenue, Maidenhall, is not entitled to a penny.
Today Mr Head stressed the importance of insurance to footballers and explained the condition required for a benevolent fund pay out.
He said: “The rules of the fund say the club must have contributed at some point.
“The affiliation form which is sent to the clubs every year has a section on for making donations to the benevolent fund. I looked into it and found that they (CJU) hadn't made a contribution.
“My advice to other players is make sure you or your club are insured.
“Players can do it by way of team insurance through their club but I would suggest they look at individual accident insurance which will cover work and football.”
Weblink: www.suffolkfa.com
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