02/12/2025
The PETITION is pinned to this page ✍🏽 ✍🏽✍🏽
This petition is created in loving memory of Emmanuel “ML” Adams, my brother — a talented footballer who tragically collapsed on 16th August 2025 while playing the sport he loved. Despite efforts to save him, there was no certified Basic Life Support (BLS) personnel or Automated External Defibrillator (AED) available on the field at the time.
His loss has revealed a devastating gap in emergency preparedness and medical response at sporting events across Trinidad and Tobago.
We, the undersigned citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, call upon the Parliament, the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, the Ministry of Health, and the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) to enact and enforce legislation — to be known as The Emmanuel Adams Law — making it mandatory for Basic Life Support (BLS)-trained personnel and Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to be present at all football matches including community football,training sessions, and organised sporting events nationwide.
While this petition arises from a football-related tragedy, we believe that no athlete, regardless of sport, should be left without access to immediate life-saving care. Implementing this measure will bring Trinidad and Tobago in line with international safety standards and prevent avoidable deaths in sports at every level — from community fields to national stadiums.
As Dr. Ravi Ramlal, Consultant Cardiologist, rightfully stated in the Trinidad Newsday (26th August 2025), “Every minute counts when a player collapses. The timely use of CPR and a defibrillator can mean the difference between life and death.” His statement reinforces exactly what this law stands for — timely intervention saves lives.
This law seeks to ensure that no player, coach, or spectator ever dies again because help wasn’t there in time. Emmanuel’s passing must mark a turning point in how we protect our athletes.
What The Emmanuel Adams Law Proposes:
•At least one (1) certified Basic Life Support (BLS) personnel must be present at every organised sporting event.
•At least two (2) certified BLS personnel must be present where more than 100 people are in attendance, including players, officials, and spectators.
•An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) must be available and accessible at all sporting venues and events.
Routine emergency drills must be conducted by organisers and teams so that, in the event of an emergency, everyone knows their role and function.
•Athletes must disclose to their club’s manager, chairman, or medic any medical condition or illness that may require emergency attention.
•A national monitoring and enforcement system must be established to ensure full compliance at all times.
•Penalties must be imposed on organisers, clubs, or associations that fail to comply with these safety requirements.
Join us in calling for The Emmanuel Adams Law — because no athlete should die waiting for help that should already be available…
