Former France footballer Jean-Pierre Adams, who had been in a coma for 39 years, has died at the age of 73.
The former Nice and PSG player was admitted to hospital for knee surgery in March 1982 but never regained consciousness after an error with his supply of anaesthetic.
On the day of his operation, many staff at the hospital in Lyon were on strike.
An anaesthetist looking after eight patients, took it upon himself to carry out Adams’ surgery. Adams was supervised by a trainee, who later said: “I was not up to the task I was entrusted with.”
Numerous errors were made, causing Adams to suffer a cardiac arrest and brain damage.
It wasn’t until the mid-1990s that the anaesthetist and trainee were sentenced – a one-month suspension and just 750 euro fine.
Adams, cared for by his wife Bernadette, has been lying in a coma at his home in the southern French city of Nimes since 1982 when he was discharged from hospital after 15 months.
Born in Senegal, the defender made more than 140 appearances for Nice and also played for Paris St-Germain.
He was spotted by Nimes in 1970 and went on to score 10 goals in 98 matches for the club before playing almost 150 games and scoring 17 goals for Nice.
Adams moved on to PSG in 1977 and played there for two seasons. He then ended his playing career in 1981 after brief spells with Mulhouse and Chalon.
He won his first cap for France in 1972 and went on to play 22 times for Les Bleus. The last of Adams’ international appearances was away to Denmark in 1976.
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