Resting heart rate of 30

Heart no longer cooperates

König scored 15 goals in his last professional season(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Carinthian handball player Raphael König ends his career in Bregenz. "Health comes first for me." Meanwhile, his youth club Ferlach is looking for a winger for the new season.

Raphael König listens to his heart! The Carinthian handball player has been forced to end his career at the age of just 20. A few years ago, when he was still playing for Ferlach, he was diagnosed with a cardiac arrhythmia.

"It got worse now and came to light during an examination," says König, who played 22 games for Bregenz last season and played in the European Cup. He had dizzy spells twice under pressure, but still played to the end of the season.

It was always in the back of my mind that something was wrong. I wanted to spare myself a pacemaker, so I decided to stop.

Raphael KÖNIG, Handballer

Implanted chip permanently measures heart rhythm
Since winter, a chip implanted in his chest has been recording his heart rate. The doctor did not advise me to stop. "But the risk is too high for me. I want to spare myself a pacemaker. Because of a conduction disorder, my heart rate can drop sharply at any time," says König, who has had a resting heart rate of up to 30 for years.

Mathias Rath (right)(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Looking for a replacement for Mathias Rath!
He now wants to study business administration and rejected an offer from Jugendklub Ferlach due to his health problems. The Carinthians are urgently looking for a backup for long-time right wing Mathias Rath. Stefan Wuzella (promoted to Germany's third division with Flensburg!) also declined.

"Mathias is entering his 17th season, but recently missed important games for the first time - we couldn't compensate for that," said boss Walter Perkounig, who at least extended the contracts with Flo Ploner and Nico Sager.