A Perth father-of-two has narrowly escaped death in Bali following a terrifying incident where he crashed through a glass wall while playing padel, in what appears to be a repeated safety failure at the venue. Dee Saban was participating in a match with three friends on Thursday at Amare Padel in Canggu when he sprinted for the ball and smashed directly into a 3-meter glass wall, causing it to shatter explosively around him.
Horrific Incident Captured on CCTV
CCTV footage vividly captures the moment Mr Saban suffered serious injuries, yet somehow survived as the entire glass wall disintegrated into sharp shards. After the video was shared online, Mr Saban and his wife Suzan were shocked to discover that similar dangerous accidents had reportedly occurred multiple times previously at the same location.
'Seven times that we know about,' Mr Saban revealed to Daily Mail. 'There are other videos showing it too. I could have died. There was blood everywhere, it was like a crime scene.'
Veteran Player's First Match Since Tournament Win
The experienced padel enthusiast was playing his first match since winning the Bali Padel Academy tournament in December and expressed excitement about returning to the court. He explained that colliding with perimeter walls during games is common practice in padel, often happening several times during a match.
When he crashed into the back corner pane on court five, Mr Saban initially experienced shock and didn't comprehend the severity of his injuries. 'It was only when I saw my mates' faces as they ran towards me that I realised it was serious,' he recounted. 'The level of injuries on my legs are bad. Some of the cuts are 5cm deep and I lost a lot of blood.'
Miraculous Escape from Fatal Consequences
Mr Saban emphasized his extraordinary luck in surviving the incident. 'It's lucky I didn't hit it face on, which is common in the game. If that had happened, I don't think I would be here right now.'
He was urgently transported to hospital by ambulance where medical staff treated his wounds. However, X-rays revealed multiple glass fragments deeply embedded in his shoulder and legs, necessitating surgical intervention.
Emergency Flight Back to Perth for Surgery
The couple, who relocated to Bali two years ago and operate their own cafes alongside a development business, decided to fly back to Perth immediately so Mr Saban could undergo emergency surgery to remove the glass shards.
'This all happened at 3pm on Thursday and I was back in Perth that same night,' Mr Saban stated. 'The medical attention I received in Bali was actually amazing. The ambulance arrived really fast and I am so thankful for that. We were just recommended to go to Australia or Singapore for the surgery so we decided to come home as it's easier to navigate the system we know.'
Overwhelming Community Support Contrasts with Venue Silence
Since the accident, the couple report being inundated with support from their Bali community but note they have received no communication from Amare Padel club management or owners.
'We have had more than 400 messages from friends, the padel community, other clubs and even the sports minister in Bali,' Mr Saban said. 'But nothing from management or the owners where it happened.'
Safety Glass Specifications Questioned
While online speculation has suggested the glass might not have been tempered, Mr Saban - who has professional experience in the building industry - disagrees with this assessment.
'I think it was tempered and don't know what has gone wrong because that glass shouldn't break when someone runs into it,' he explained. 'The issue is there are different levels of that kind of safety glass, from shower screens to sporting windows, and there is no way that glass was approved for a sporting court.'
He expressed disappointment about the lack of response from venue operators, particularly given evidence of previous similar incidents. 'It's disappointing we haven't heard back from anyone yet, especially as there are numerous videos showing the same thing.'
Daily Mail has contacted Amare Padel for comment regarding these serious safety concerns and repeated incidents at their facility.
