sport news Leading cardiologist says cluster of collapses in footballers likely to be ...

A spate of high-profile heart problems and collapses among professional footballers in recent weeks are likely to be coincidence, rather than an indication players are struggling to cope with the high-intensity game, according to a leading cardiologist. 

Football has been rocked when three players were hospitalised this week after falling ill during training sessions or matches.

Wigan striker Charlie Wyke, 28, collapsed in training, Sheffield United's John Fleck, 30, collapsed on the pitch at Reading and Adama Traore 25, went down clutching his chest while playing in the Champions League for Sheriff Tiraspol against Real Madrid.

While the cause of those collapses are being investigated, Barcelona striker Sergio Aguero, 33, was diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia having been forced off with chest pains in a 1-1 draw against Alaves last month and Icelandic midfielder Emil Palsson, 28, required resuscitation after a cardiac arrest in October.

The incidents have renewed concern over the welfare of footballers coming hard on the heels of the harrowing collapse of Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen, 29, who suffered a heart attack at Euro 2020.

Professor Guido Pieles, who leads the Sports Cardiology Clinic at the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, said there was no evidence that heart problems were occurring in footballers more frequently and he believes any cluster of incidents is a 'coincidence'.

'At present I would say this is still a coincidence,' Professor Pieles told Sportsmail.

'I don't think we can say this is suddenly increasing, I don't think it is increasing particularly in football. 

'Footballers are certainly not the athletes that have the highest volume and intensity of training. Endurance runners, Tour de France cyclists, and rowers they train much longer hours.

'It cannot be said that in the last year or two years they train more but over the last 10 years that is true.

'The game has got faster but also people are fitter. If you play football in the Premier League, you have done this since seven or eight years old.'

However, the expert suggests footballers, and elite athletes, should undergo cardiac screening more regularly throughout their career to give them the best possible protection.

'The evidence says players aged 15 or16 should be screened because the highest incidence of sudden cardiac arrest is 16-18,' the cardiologist, who advises the FA, told Sportsmail.

'But I do believe we need to do it more often. Players in their twenties need to be screened.

'Diseases can occur within the 20 years of a player's career. There should be intermittent screening.'

Sudden cardiac arrest can occur where a player has an underlying heart condition and while most problems are picked up through screening, a small percentage may go undetected.

In addition, an inflammation of the heart, called myocarditis, may occur after a viral illness making a person more susceptible to heart problems, even a cardiac arrest, during exercise.

Prof Pieles said the FA's cardiac screening programme is one of the most developed in football and it is effective.

'Compared to other associations the FA has a fantastic screening programme. We are quite advanced. It is a rigorous programme for the first four leagues.

'This is as good as it gets in professional football.

'Screening is mandated by the FA and it the responsibility of the clubs to do it. Experts review the scans. It is mandatory at 15 or 16 and recommended for older ages.'