Ben Rienstra made his comeback at Fortuna Sittard last Friday after he was diagnosed with a heart defect in preparation for this season. During an extensive check-up at the beginning of last month, an irregularity in his heartbeat was found. After the discovery of Rienstra’s heart defect, trainer Sjors Ultee knocked on Erik ten Hag’s door.
There was no immediate reason for an investigation into Rienstra’s heart. The problems came to light during a preventive test. “After what happened at the European Championship (with Christian Eriksen, ed.), we had an extensive investigation into whether everyone was in the right position,” Ultee told Sunday morning. Good morning Eredivisie. “There turned out to be a small deviation.” The problems with Rienstra’s heart were reason for further investigation. “In the end we got the green light last Wednesday and he participated for half an hour in the practice match against Genk on Friday evening. That is fantastic news.”
When Rienstra’s heart problems came to light, Ultee made a phone call to Amsterdam. “We are lucky that I know Erik ten Hag well,” said the Fortuna Sittard trainer in the program of ESPN. “So I immediately called Erik and asked if we could use their expertise in the case with Daley Blind.” Ultee asked Ten Hag if he could take Rienstra to the doctor who guided Blind with his heart problems. “Ajax has done a fantastic job. The doctor called us the next day and within two days we had an appointment. With something this big, competition disappears and health is the most important thing.”
“We are very grateful to Ajax and that doctor that we were allowed to use them”, Ultee emphasizes. “It went through Ajax’s sports doctor, Niels Wijne. I also got out then, because I’m only a trainer. But I was very happy that both Erik and the Ajax doctor wanted to help us so quickly. Fortunately, Ben was able to go to the top of the top in this area.” Rienstra is not yet fully deployable, but is on the way back. “He has not been able to train completely, because with heart problems you do not go into the woods every day and hour. Of course he remains under control. The doctor wants to see him again, but he has been released in full.”
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