Football events represent a type of Mass Gathering Events (MGE) where crowd behavior, temperature and Heat Index, absence of free water, and alcohol consumption can lead to an increased need for medical assistance in participants. This report describes the environmental issues, organization, and healthcare assistance provided during the four matches of the Union of European Football Associations’ (UEFA) Under-21 tournament held in Bologna in June, 2019. The four matches had a total of 72655 spectators; 31 patients required medical assistance with a mean Patient Presentation Rate (PPR) of 0.41; Mean Transport To Hospital Rate (TTHR) of 0.04; with PPR and TTHR comparable with literature findings. Majority of patients suffered from minor injuries and illnesses, and were treated directly in stadium medical sites. Medical assistance involved volunteer rescuers, emergency nurses, and physicians; resources were efficiently allocated and provided effective care to every patient.
Climate factors, heat and humidity, the absence of free water, and increased alcohol consumption appear to be associated with increased requests for medical assistance. The retrospective analysis of a wider range of environmental factors, and the historical experience developed during similar MGEs suggest the need for a more comprehensive, improved approach for adequately assessing risk and planning the necessary healthcare resources.
