Goalkeeper Berkovec collided with his Bohemians 1905 team-mate Daniel Krch. Berkovec nearly swallowed his tongue. With his quick thinking Togolese striker Francis Kone saved Berkovec's life.


Slovacko's Kone acted fast after Martin Berkovec collided with his Bohemians 1905 team-mate Daniel Krch.

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Kone with his quick thinking saved goalkeeper Berkovec after he nearly swallowed his tongue during the league match. He used his fingers to move Berkovec's tongue and stop him suffocating. He managed to pull out Berkovec’s tongue while Bohemians’ medical was still waiting for the referee to wave them onto the pitch and run some 60 metres.


"Seconds matter in a situation like this. If you swallow your tongue you start to choke, the flow of air into the brain stops, so you have to act as fast as possible," said Bohemians spokesman Tomas Mutinsky.


"If Martin is in a stable condition today, it is largely thanks to Francis,"


"I would like to thank Francis Kone for his prompt help that saved my life. Once again, THANK YOU," Berkovec wrote on Facebook.


Speaking after the match, Kone said this certainly was not his first time.

"It wasn’t the first time I have done that. It’s something like the fourth time. Twice in Africa, once in Thailand. I immediately checked to see if he had swallowed his tongue."

One Bohemians fan tweeted his thanks to Kone after the goalless draw: "He taught me something today, and not only me."

Another fan who was in the stands on Saturday told Bohemians’ club website how Kone’s quick thinking had impacted on the club’s hardcore fans.


"Two guys were sitting next to me. Racists. Their language was ...(racist), monkey stuff," he said.

"And then comes the shock. Endless seconds. Martin falls and doesn’t move. Kone is the first to arrive. He pulls the keeper’s tongue out."

"The entire stadium is silent, including the two guys. I don’t give a damn about the score. Martin will be OK, Francis Kone helped him."