Deaths of three rugby players in Malaysia raise heatwave safety concerns

The recent deaths of three rugby players in Malaysia have brought attention to the dangers posed by extreme heat and humidity, raising concerns about the adequacy of precautions in such harsh climates.

On May 23, 22-year-old Azlan Azhari, a prop for Kedah’s state team, collapsed just five minutes after scoring a try during an Agong Cup match against Johor. He was stretchered off the field and taken to a hospital, where he was placed in an induced coma. Tragically, he passed away two days later due to heatstroke, dehydration, and organ failure.

The same day, 21-year-old Adam Putra Syahril died after collapsing during a Penang Sukma rugby training session. Earlier in the month, on May 10, former national team scrum-half Mohamad Khairul Abdillah Ramli, 34, suffered an aortic rupture on a bus ride home following an Agong Cup match.

These incidents have sparked discussions about whether additional measures are needed to protect athletes in Malaysia, where temperatures often exceed 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) and humidity levels remain high. Such conditions place significant strain on players, as high humidity hampers the body’s ability to cool itself through sweat.

Yuri Hosokawa, an associate professor at Waseda University’s Faculty of Sports Sciences, noted that managing heat stress is particularly challenging in Asia. “If the humidity is high, players can’t really offset the heat gain through sweat,” she explained.

World Rugby introduced guidelines in 2025 to mitigate heat illness risks, including recommendations for increased cooling, hydration, and breaks during play based on weather conditions. However, Hosokawa emphasized that global warming has drastically altered the situation in recent years, necessitating further adaptations.