Itai Sharon
צילום רפרודוקציה: דובר צה"ל
Officers slam flight school tryouts after teen's death
Physical training officers in IDF said to Ynet that teens in trial period, during which Itai Sharon died, do physical exercise after 8:00 a.m. threatens their health: "Starting on August 15th we forbid solidiers to do physical activity after thus hour. It certainly isn't recommended for untrained youth."
While the IDF investigates the circumstances leading up to the tragic death Wednesday of Itai Sharon during tryouts for flight school, sources working in the physical training field in the IDF criticized Thursday the administration running the tryouts. However, the chief medical officer says that an initial investigation of the affair reveals that the administrators acted according to regulations.
Chief Medical Officer, Brigadier General Dr. Hezi Levi told Ynet that from an initial study of Sharon's autopsy results it emerges that his death was a result of heat stroke. "From what is known at this stage, from approximately 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. the tryout participants did a trek of a number of kilometers, at the end of which they did a set of static exercises on the spot. After about an hour, they noticed that Sharon was disoriented and apathetic. He received first aid and was transferred to a hospital where they tried to save his life, but in vain."
Physical training officers in the IDF, who are very familiar with trial periods such as this one, said to Ynet that starting August 15th, they will act according to stricter regulations than the current procedures, according to which there will be no strenuous activity after 8:00 a.m.
According to them, any such activity is likely to threaten the soldiers' health: "These regulations are in force and any deviation from them will surely threaten the health of the teens who aren't used to such activity since they aren't part of the army and aren't trained for it."
The officers aren't involved in the actual investigation of the event, but note the fact that the soldiers engaged in physical activity after 8:00 a.m. at this time of year could have constituted a risk factor.
'We sharpened all regulations'
According to Brigadier General Levi, the examination being carried out reveals that the tryout administrators acted according to regulations, including providing at least six hours of sleep a night and performing physical activity only during hours when the heat isn't debilitating. Also, the trial period commanders made sure the candidates drank a full canteen every 45 minutes.
He rejected claims at this stage that the administration held activities that are not in line with regulations thus damaging Sharon's health, and causing his death. However, he noted that the facts will be cleared up during the investigation.
The chief medical officer also said that he doesn't see it fit to halt IDF physical exercises, even in light of the event. According to him, the trial period was in accordance with strict criteria and it isn't appropriate at this point to stop all trial periods and training. He added that 500 young people participated in the trial period, and that, outside of a few incidents of light dehydration, it ended without complications.
"However, we sharpened Wednesday night all the regulations regarding physical activity during heat waves in all the units. There are instruments that measure the heat, according to which it is possible to determine if it is permissible or not to work out," the medical officer concluded.
