Soccer Star at Risk of ‘High-Level Paraplegia’ After Colliding with LED Advertising Board and Breaking Neck

Togolese soccer star, Samuel Asamoah, is at risk of paraplegia after breaking his neck during a mid-game collision with an advertising board in China.

On Sunday, Oct. 5, Asamoah’s team, Guangxi Pingguo Football Club, was playing against Chongqing Tonglianglong in China’s second-tier League One when the accident occurred, per a post on the Chinese social media site, Weibo, which was shared by the player’s club.

Midfielder Asamoah, 31, collided headfirst with an LED advertising panel after being shoved by opponent Zhang Zhixiong, who was given a yellow card, according to the BBC. Asamoah suffered multiple fractures in his neck.

In the translated Weibo update on Friday, Oct. 10, Asamoah’s club said that the player had “experienced numbness and temporary loss of sensation in his upper limbs” after being taken to Pingguo People’s Hospital in Baise.

Asamoah was then told by a spinal orthopedic specialist that, “without prompt and appropriate treatment,” his “injury could result in high-level paraplegia,” the club said, after stating in a previous post that the player had been “diagnosed with a neck fracture.”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Paraplegia is the symptom of paralysis that mainly affects your legs (though it can sometimes affect your lower body and some of your arm abilities, too).” 

“This usually happens because of injuries to your nervous system, especially your spinal cord, but it can also happen with various medical conditions and diseases,” the site adds.

Asamoah has since undergone successful surgery, per the club’s Weibo post, which confirmed that his fellow Guangxi Pingguo F.C. player, Huang Wei, had also been injured during the game.

The club said it expressed “its most sincere gratitude to all units and individuals who have extended a helping hand,” in the post, adding, “We sincerely thank the fans, major fan clubs, and friends from all walks of life across the country who have given their care and support!”

Guangxi Pingguo F.C. acknowledged in the post that “due to the severity” of Asamoah’s injuries, they could have a “significant impact on the player’s future life and career.” 

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Asamoah spent most of his career in Belgium before moving to China in 2024, the BBC reported. He’s also represented his country six times.

The Chinese Football Association didn’t immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for comment on the soccer star’s injuries.