Serious Neck Injury to Tunisian Handball Player Mouna Jlezi at 2025 World Championship

Tunisian handball player Mouna Jlezi suffered a serious neck injury and lost consciousness following a tackle in the World Championship match against Poland, with the opposing player receiving a red card.

    Key details

  • • Mouna Jlezi sustained a serious neck injury and lost consciousness during the Tunisia vs. Poland World Championship match.
  • • The injury occurred with approximately 1.5 minutes remaining while Poland led 28-25.
  • • Polish player Natalia Pankowska received a red card for the tackle causing the injury.
  • • Jlezi regained consciousness and was reported stable after being stretchered off.
  • • Poland won the match 29-26.

During the 2025 Handball World Championship match between Tunisia and Poland, Tunisian player Mouna Jlezi suffered a severe neck injury after a tackle by Polish player Natalia Pankowska. The incident occurred with only about 1.5 minutes left in the match, while Poland was leading 28-25. Jlezi fell awkwardly, screamed in pain, and lost consciousness on the court, prompting immediate medical intervention. She was stabilized on the field in the recovery position before being taken off on a stretcher.

Following the incident, referees issued a red card to Pankowska for the tackle. Despite the gravity of the injury, Tunisia's handball federation media officer, Walid Ouji, confirmed that Jlezi regained consciousness and was in stable condition. The match ended with Poland securing a 29-26 victory over Tunisia.

This dramatic and distressing event temporarily overshadowed the match, with Jlezi's serious neck injury prompting concern among fans and officials. Her quick medical treatment and resulting stable condition provide some relief after the alarming scenes.

This article was translated and synthesized from Swedish sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.

Source comparison

Score at the time of injury

Sources report different scores at the time of Jlezi's injury

aftonbladet.se

"Poland won the match with a score of 29-26 at the time of the injury"

expressen.se

"Poland was leading 28-25 at the time of the injury"

Why this matters: One source states Poland was leading 29-26 at the time of the injury, while the other claims Poland was leading 28-25. This affects the context of the game's competitiveness at that moment.

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