Tom Lockyer is the most recent in a concerning pattern of athletes experiencing heart-related ailments.
Following a collapse on the pitch against Bournemouth, the skipper of Luton Town is in a stable condition at the hospital.
The Luton captain, Tom Lockyer, had to be taken out of his team’s Premier League match against Bournemouth on Saturday due to a heart arrest.
Midway through the second half, with the score at 1-1, Luton’s match on the south coast of England was called off when defender Lockyer received medical attention before being hoisted off to cheers.
The Wales international’s status in the hospital is stable, according to Luton, who later verified the Premier League’s confirmation that the match had been called off.
“Our medical staff have confirmed that the Hatters captain suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch, but was responsive by the time he was taken off on the stretcher,” the club stated in a statement.
“We would like to thank the medical professionals from both sides again for the additional care he received inside the stadium. After being moved to a hospital, Tom is stable and receiving additional testing; his family is by his side. We can reassure fans of this.”
Following his collapse during Luton’s Championship play-off final victory over Coventry in late May, Lockyer, 29, underwent heart surgery.
Prior to Saturday’s game, he had made 15 appearances across all competitions since his return to action at the beginning of the new season.
While uncommon, cardiac-related illnesses among young, physically active athletes are not unheard of.
During a Euro 2020 match against Finland, Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen received life-saving cardiac massage therapy on the pitch.
When the playmaker went down in the 42nd minute of the game, spectators were taken aback, and players on both teams were upset.
After receiving an implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), Eriksen made a full recovery, much to the joy of the football community. He signed a contract with Brentford on transfer deadline day in January 2021, and that summer, he was able to transfer to Premier League powerhouse Manchester United.
In April 2019, Iker Casillas, the former captain of Real Madrid and Spain, was taken to the hospital following a “acute myocardial infarction” that occurred during a training session with Portuguese team Porto.
The goalie fully recovered, although he never returned to the field until hanging up his boots in August 2020.
Research indicates that African football players are disproportionately affected by heart issues.
International player Papy Faty of Burundi passed away in 2019 after collapsing during an eSwatini league match, formerly known as Swaziland, whereas Marc-Vivien Foe, a former Manchester City midfielder, his away in 2003 during a Confederations Cup match while playing for Cameroon.
There has been a concerning increase in cardiac-related illnesses in sports recently.
In July 2023, Bronny James, the eldest son of NBA player LeBron James, went into cardiac arrest while practicing with his collegiate basketball team.
The 18-year-old passed out on the court in Los Angeles while working out with his colleagues from the University of Southern California. He was brought to the hospital for care, where he briefly remained in intensive care.
He overcame a significant obstacle in his recovery on Sunday by playing in his first game, an 84-79 shock defeat to Long Beach State in overtime, according to ESPN.
A year before to James’ scare, USC centre Vince Iwuchukwu had fainted during practice due to heart failure. After being resurrected by the team’s medical staff, Iwuchukwu returned to play in the previous season.
It also brought back memories of an event that happened in January, when Damar Hamlin, a safety for the Buffalo Bills, passed out during an NFL game in Cincinnati due to a cardiac arrest.
On the pitch, Hamlin received life-saving CPR as the terrifying spectacle played out in front of a crowded stadium and a nationwide television audience. In October, he returned to the NFL to face the Miami Dolphins.
