Galatasaray's Bafetimbi Gomis prompted concerns about his health after he collapsed in a match Super League match Sunday due to an already diagnosed health condition. The French striker, however, brushed off the concerns and resumed playing, "like a lion" as he told reporters in the post-match presser
The 32-year-old former Swansea City and Lyon player fainted early in the first half of the 2-1 defeat against Istanbul team Kasımpaşa but returned to the field shortly after doctors gave permission. He was seen bending over before falling to the ground in the seventh minute of the match. The medical team quickly intervened and his teammates gathered around him but Gomis, who was taken off, was able to return within minutes and play the rest of the match.
Gomis suffers from a vasovagal condition that makes him prone to fainting. Previous episodes took place during his career at Lyon and also when he was playing for Swansea against Tottenham in 2015. He has had the condition, linked to low blood pressure, since childhood.
The vasovagal syncope he was diagnosed with surfaces after certain triggers, ranging from a high level of emotional distress to the sight of blood, from standing for a long period of time to heat exposure and fear of bodily injury. All those triggers are no stranger for players especially in high-stakes matches although Gomis was cleared of any risk before. The condition reduces blood flow to the brain while doctors say that it is not harmless, depending on the state a person is in during an episode. Gomis signed for Galatasaray in June last year from Swansea on a three-year deal. The Turkish team's doctor said the club was fully aware of the situation when he signed.
"This sometimes happens to me, it's a situation completely linked to stress," Gomis said after the game. "I did not have any issues after the incident, and I got out and played," he was quoted as saying by Doğan news agency.
Gomis said he was more concerned by the result than his health. "My only sadness today is that we were not victorious," Gomis said, vowing that "I will continue like a lion."