An intended fitness test for a number of Ghanaian referees on Saturday turned sour when class one referee P.S. Okai collapsed during the exercise (Cooper Test) at the Accra Stadium and later died at the nation's Police Hospital.
Referee Okai, in his 40s and a Premier League referee for over five years, was among 50 people who attended a refresher course at the Winneba Sports College at the weekend and were to run off with the Cooper Test at the Accra Sports Stadium.
However, in the course of the physical fitness test, Okai collapsed and died at the hospital.
Later, the Chairman of the Referees Appointment Committee, Mr Ken Jonfia, said the late P.S. Okai, who was among the first batch of referees to undergo the Cooper Test last Saturday hardly showed any sign of ailment and as he was aware did not even complain that he wasn't well.
Thus, he took part in the 12-minute run and were all waiting while the measurements were being taken when suddenly he complained of dizziness. But realising that he was having difficulty in breathing, he was rushed on a stretcher while being fanned to the Stadium Clinic where oxygen was administered to him as first aid treatment. Then he was sent straight to the Police Hospital but sadly, he died rather after a short-while, Mr Jonfia died.
