In the 22th minute of the EHF Cup Winners Cup match between VFL Gummersbach and Hungarian Tatabánya KC on March 30, 1979, world's then possibly best handball player, Joachim Deckarm accidentaly collided with his marker Lajos Pánovics. Deckarm lost consciousness yet in the air and smashed his head against the ground. He suffered multiple head trauma and lay in a coma for 131 days.
When he awoke, he was basically locked into his own body, unable to move a limb. Fighting bouts of deep depression, Deckarm eventually fought his way back into life. He remained mentally handicapped, but regained his mobility and is capable of doing short interviews. He currently lives in his native Saarbrücken in a home for handicapped people.
During the years he developed a friendship with Pánovics who regularly visits him and his family in Germany. In 2004 the two received the award of the International Fair Play Committee.