Published article gives credence to heart related issues and Covid-19
Story Updated 2:45 pm...
A published report in a Pennsylvania newspaper gives credence to concerns from Big Ten Conference commissioner Kevin Warren and others who believed there was “too much medical uncertainty and too many unknown health risks” as a reason to cancel the fall sports season.
According to an article from Parth Upadhyaya in the Centre Daily Times, Penn State University’s director of athletic medicine, Wayne Sebastianelli, told the State College Area school board of directors that he has seen a link between COVID-19 and myocarditis, particularly in Big Ten athletes. The article states that Sebastianelli said cardiac MRI scans revealed about a third of Big Ten athletes who tested positive for Covid-19 appeared to have an inflammation of the heart muscle.
“When we looked at our COVID-positive athletes, whether they were symptomatic or not, 30 to roughly 35 percent of their heart muscles (are) inflamed,” Sebastianelli said. “And we really just don’t know what to do with it right now. It’s still very early in the infection. Some of that has led to the Pac-12 and the Big Ten’s decision to sort of put a hiatus on what’s happening.”
On Aug. 11, the Big Ten made a decision to postpone the fall season, and one day before ESPN reported that myocarditis had been discussed among the conference’s presidents and chancellors, as well as among commissioners, athletic directors and health advisory board members from the conference and around America.
Sebastianelli was quoted as saying an athlete who is infected with Covid could see a drop in their VO2max and cardiac output by just 10 percent, causing a change in their athletic status.
“You could have a very high-level athlete who’s got a very superior VO2 max and cardiac output who gets infected with COVID and can drop his or her VO2 max and cardiac output just by 10 percent, and that could make them go from elite status to average status,” Sebastianelli said. “We don’t know that. We don’t know how long that’s going to last. What we have seen is when people have been studied with cardiac MRI scans — symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID infections — is a level of inflammation in cardiac muscle that just is alarming.”
At Indiana, freshman Brady Feeney’s story of his overcoming Covid-19 went public after his mother made a Facebook post, in which she detailed her freshman son’s ordeal, including how he went to the emergency room and was dealing with heart-related issues.
The Covid-19 landscape on college campuses and around college athletics prompted both Scott Dolson, director of athletics, and Tom Allen, head football coach, to discuss the impact Covid-19 was having on the athletic department at the time.
Dolson was asked about the optics of playing while in the midst of a global pandemic and the newly minted athletic director said his decisions are based solely on the advice of medical experts. “If you have confidence, trust the advice and not put anyone in that position to be at a level of risk. If they tell us not to do it, we won’t do it. I don’t feel pressure from other factors. Decisions are based on health and safety,” said Dolson.
As a result of concern over Covid-19, several players have been opting out of playing the 2020 season and are putting their focus on getting ready for the NFL Draft. Minnesota wide receiver Rashod Bateman made headlines when he announced he was opting out, as did Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley.
In a recent Zoom call with members of the media, Allen said while no Indiana players have opted out, he has had discussions with the university’s administration, players and parents about the matter.
“There are different categories as to why a person would chose to do that. I told the team and parents if someone doesn’t feel safe, there is no pressure to do that. If they chose to opt out and sit out, it is clearly stated by the Big Ten, NCAA and the university they will keep their scholarship and be in good standing. We haven’t had anyone chose to do that, but we have had discussions with guys,” said Allen, adding if a player does want to talk about it, he will do so with the player and his family.
Following the initial report, FootballScoop published a conflicting report saying,
"FootballScoop reached out to contacts at 8 Big Ten schools (including Penn State). 7 have responded so far (not including Penn State), all 6 have said something along the lines of 'We’re not experiencing that here and haven’t heard of anyone in the conference experiencing this. Last we heard was nearly 10 total athletes across all sports.'"
Overall, the only thing that remains consistent for Big Ten football, is the inconsistencies.
Alec Lasley contributed to this article.
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