When we see athletes test positive and return to play a few weeks later, it is tempting to believe the virus is merely an inconvenience to sports stars
When Keyontae Johnson collapsed on the basketball court on Saturday, college sports temporarily stood as still as his teammates. He was rushed to the hospital where he is currently in stable but critical condition. There are many possible causes for Johnson’s condition, but in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the fact that the 21-year-old and many of his team tested positive for the virus over the summer didn’t go unnoticed. While it may well turn out that Johnson’s collapse this weekend had nothing to do with Covid-19, there is growing evidence the virus can have serious effects on athletes, even when it appears they have made a full recovery.
The Covid-19 pandemic has shown how a society’s desire to return to “normal” can clash with science. Earlier this year, US college sports’ governing body, the NCAA, initially cancelled all winter and spring men’s and women’s championships, including the March Madness basketball tournaments, due to coronavirus concerns. Most other leagues in North America soon followed suit. Since then, some sports have returned, with the NBA managing to successfully navigate a bubble to complete its season. The NFL, however, has been less successful with games postponed or cancelled with increasing frequency as Covid-19 surges across the US. Now, the spotlight is back on NCAA basketball.
Related: Covid chaos in NFL as ‘business as usual’ approach flounders
Jonathan Gelber MD is a surgeon and specialist in sports medicine. He is the author of Tiger Woods’s Back and Tommy John’s Elbow: Injuries and Tragedies That Transformed Careers, Sports, and Society
