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A Ngee Ann Polytechnic student died yesterday morning, after spending two weeks in a coma after injuring his head while doing a backflip.

According to a report in The Straits Times, Lai Qing Xiang, 19, a member of the polytechnic’s cheerleading team Magnum Force, fell unconscious shortly after the Aug 30 accident and was sent to the National University Hospital. He never regained consciousness.

His father Patrick Lai, 57, said, “He was big. He stood 1.75m tall and weighed 90kg. Why was he asked to do a backward flip?” said the businessman. “Was my son properly taught and trained how to execute a backflip?"

Mr Lai, a businessman, was told that the backflip was a “routine” cheerleading manoeuvre.

A cheerleader present at the training session said Qing Xiang was being guided through the move by two others. He had done one backflip and was attempting another.

A polytechnic spokesman said the team had been practising on safety mats and were supervised.

It has suspended all practice sessions for the cheerleading club until further notice and police are looking into the matter.

Paramedics found Qing Xiang had suffered a cardiac arrest, and an officer performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on him before a doctor took over at the hospital.

Mr Lai said doctors got his son’s heart going and his condition seemed to improve before deteriorating on Wednesday night. He died shortly after midnight.