Racing Louisville’s USA international Savannah DeMelo collapsed on the pitch during an NWSL game on Sunday.
Her team were locked in a 0-0 stalemate against Seattle Reign when the incident happened during first-half added time.
The 27-year-old was treated on the pitch and then was taken to hospital by ambulance.
A statement from Racing Louisville called it “a medical emergency” but reassured fans that DeMelo “was stable and alert after the incident”.
Seattle Reign issued a statement which said: “We stand side by side with Louisville during this time and thank our fans for their support.”
DeMelo joined Racing Louisville in 2022, becoming their fourth pick in that year’s draft. She spent her college career with the University of Southern California, starring in their Trojans team.
She has featured in national teams throughout age groups, and has represented her country at Under-20 World Cups and CONCACAF Under-20 Championships. She was part of the USA squad for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
NWSL: Our first priority is her health and safety
The NWSL added their own public statement, which read: “Our first priority is her health and safety, and we are in close communication with Reign FC and Racing Louisville medical teams.
“We recognise the concern this incident may cause, particularly in light of recent conversations around player safety. The NWSL remains committed to ensuring that the highest standards of medical care and emergency response are in place at every match.”
It follows an incident earlier in the year where Angel City’s Savy King collapsed during a match. She was resuscitated and given chest compressions on the field before going to hospital, and undergoing surgery. King had had a form of heart attack due to a congenital heart abnormality which means her left coronary artery was in a slightly different location from normal.
“I remember that I wasn’t feeling right, and I grabbed my leg because I was trying to distract myself from the fact that I was going to pass out,” King said on a television interview some weeks later. “I remember the staff coming onto the field.”
And she expressed her thanks to the medical staff who responded on the pitch, saying: “They saved my life. That will stay with me forever in my heart, and just knowing that I get to play in front of them too and say that they were a huge reason why I’m here.
“I play for them now too.”
The rest of the game will be rescheduled at a later date.
