NWSL: Angel City-Utah Royals should have stopped after Savy King collapse
The National Women’s Soccer League said last Friday's game in which Angel City FC defender Savy King collapsed on the field should have ended following the incident.
King, 20, required on-field medical attention around the 74th minute of the game between Angel City and the Utah Royals when she collapsed on the field. The game was stopped for about 10 minutes and King was carted off the field and immediately transported to a local hospital in Los Angeles. The club provided updates, at first notifying everyone that she was in stable condition, and later that King underwent successful surgery for a heart abnormality. Angel City said in a statement earlier this week that King’s prognosis is "excellent," and her family said in its own statement that King is "recovering well."
The incident sparked outrage within the league among players and around the national soccer community due to the game continuing on after King had been removed from the pitch. Players from both teams were visibly shaken in the aftermath, and huddled together following Angel City's 2-0 win in what appeared to be a moment of prayer.
One week later, the NWSL confirmed the game should not have continued.
"Having reviewed our protocols and how they were implemented, and in listening to feedback from our stakeholders, the Angel City vs. Utah game last Friday night should not have continued," an NWSL said in a statement Friday.
"The health and well-being of the entire NWSL community remains our top priority, and in any similar situation going forward the game should and would be abandoned."
The NWSL Players Association released a statement in response: "The League’s acknowledgment that the game should have ended – and its commitment to adopting this protocol