HEART PROBLEMS MAY BE RARE IN PROS AFTER COVID-19
Heart inflammation is uncommon in pro athletes who’ve had mostly mild COVID-19 and most don’t need to be sidelined, a study conducted by major professional sports leagues suggests.
The results are not definitive, outside experts say, and more independent research is needed. But the study published Thursday in JAMA Cardiology is the largest to examine the potential problem. The coronavirus can cause inflammation in many organs, including the heart.
The research involved professional athletes in the U.S. and Canada who play in major league football, hockey, soccer, baseball and men’s and women’s basketball. All tested positive for COVID-19 before October and were given guidelinerecommended heart tests, nearly 800 total. None had severe COVID-19 and 40 percent had few or no symptoms — what might be expected from a group of healthy elite athletes with an average age of 25. Severe COVID-19 is more common in older people and those with chronic health conditions.
Almost 4 percent had abnormal results on heart tests done after they recovered but subsequent MRI exams found heart inflammation in less than 1 percent of the athletes. These five athletes all had COVID-19 symptoms. Whether their heart problems were caused by the virus is unknown although the researchers think that is likely.
They were sidelined for about three months, had no further problems and at least some returned to play, said Dr. Matthew Martinez of Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey. He’s the study’s lead author and team cardiologist for football’s New York Jets.
More virus
The 2021 Penn Relays have been canceled for the second straight time due to the coronavirus pandemic and local restrictions on large gatherings.
• The International Ice Hockey Federation has tentatively scheduled the women’s world championships for mid-May after canceling the 2020 tournament because of the coronavirus pandemic.
• The 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France was postponed from June to August in the hope that fans can attend by then, organizers said.
The iconic race was scheduled to take place on June 1213 but was moved to Aug. 2122.
Colleges
The 13th-ranked UC San Diego men’s volleyball team (0-4) was swept by No. 4 UC Santa Barbara (2-0) 25-22, 25-14, 25-20 on the road.
• Oklahoma State Athletic Director Mike Holder will step down this summer after 16 years and will be replaced by deputy AD Chad Weiberg.
Soccer
The San Diego Loyal SC announced midfielder Alejandro Guido, a Chula Vista native, will remain under contract for its 2021 USL Championship season. Midfielder Guido, 26, joined SD Loyal in September 2020 on loan from MLS club LAFC. He played in five matches during SD Loyal’s inaugural season, scoring two goals and adding two assists in his 300 minutes on the pitch.
• Five straight home losses for the first time in the club’s 128-year history. More than 10 hours since a goal from open play at Anfield. The stadium that was once a fortress for Liverpool is the now the scene of a scarcely believable implosion by the soon-to-be-deposed English champions. Liverpool’s 1-0 loss to Chelsea continued a staggering run of home form over the past six weeks, after Jurgen Klopp’s team had previously gone 68 games in a row unbeaten at Anfield.
Tennis
The women’s professional tennis tour is considering whether to make changes to its “frozen” ranking system adopted because of the coronavirus pandemic. WTA CEO Steve Simon said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press the tour is “currently reviewing if any further adjustments to the rankings process will be made.”
• The top two seeded players at the Qatar Open in Doha were eliminated in the quarterfinals as Victoria Azarenka played through pain to win against Elina Svitolina and Jessica Pegula
defeated Karolina Pliskova.
Azarenka held off a late comeback from top-seeded Svitolina, her doubles partner this week, to seal a 6-2, 6-4 win on her third match point. Pegula beat second-seeded Pliskova 6-3, 6-1.