Ex-Barcelona star Vidal’s dad dies after collapsing at horse racing course

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    Chilean international Arturo Vidal's dad has been found dead at the south American country's oldest racecourse.

    Erasmo Vidal, 61, is said to have gone into cardiac arrest after suffering hypovolemic shock at the Club Hipico de Santiago.

    The 35-year-old former Barcelona and Inter Milan star, who joined Brazilian top-flight side Flamengo on a free transfer in July, has yet to make any comment.

    The racecourse where he died confirmed the death in a statement, saying: “On Tuesday morning Erasmo Vidal was found inside the enclosure by security staff.

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    “When they saw he was in a bad way, they contacted paramedics who work on site and rushed to the scene to provide emergency medical attention and call for more help.

    “Ambulance workers continued to try to save him when they arrived but his condition deteriorated as a result of cardiac arrest and hypovolemic shock and sadly he died.”

    Flamengo added in its own statement: “We regret to inform you about the death of Erasmo Vidal, father of our player Arturo Vidal. We wish him strength at this difficult moment.”

    Local reports said the footballer’s dad died in the area where races take place.

    The midfielder, who has scored 33 goals in his 135 appearances for Chile, is understood to keep horses he owns at the racecourse.

    Erasmo met Arturo’s mum Jacqueline Rosa Pardo Castillo when they were both teenagers.

    Arturo’s mum told how in an interview years ago he missed his birth because he had assaulted someone and fled to another Chilean city where his brothers lived to avoid arrest.

    Jacqueline is understood to have raised the soccer star and his other three siblings alone much of the time.

    Although the relationship between father and son is said to have been strained, with some Chilean media reporting on Tuesday it was virtually non-existent, Erasmo is believed to have been tasked with going daily to the racecourse where he was found dead to look after the footballer’s horses.

    A post-mortem will now take place to clarify the exact cause of death, which took place just after 9am local time on Tuesday morning. A police investigation is underway.

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