Muamba was "dead for 78 minutes"

Bolton Wanderers' club doctor Jonathan Tobin yesterday revealed that midfielder Fabrice Muamba, who collapsed against Tottenham last week, was in effect dead for 78 minutes. Muamba has made an astonishing recovery this week.

Muamba fell to the floor after 41 minutes, and had a cardiac arrest on the pitch. Doctors saved the former Arsenal midfielder's life as he was rushed to the London Chest Hospital, and the player has made a miraculous recovery.


Club doctor Tobin said: "It was 48 minutes when he collapsed to reaching hospital and a further 30 minutes after that. He was, in effect, dead at that time.


"We were fearing the worst and didn't think we would get the recovery we had. It's incredible.


"As soon as I saw them start CPR, something twitched in me. You always hope that, if you have a defibrillator and get there quickly, they will respond to at least two or three shocks. The longer the resuscitation, the less the chances of survival. But this is a very fit 23-year-old and those attending him are trained in CPR."