“We are blessed to share Savy is recovering well and we are looking forward to having her home with us soon.” This statement released by Savy King’s family brought a much-needed sigh of relief to the entire NWSL community. Having abruptly left the pitch after a sudden collapse during Friday’s Matchday 8 clash between Angel City and the Utah Royals, the defender had everyone on edge until this official health update on Tuesday. However, even though King is now recovering well, the NWSLPA has stepped up to rally against the league’s decision to continue the match—especially in light of such a life-threatening event.

It was around the hour mark when this incident transpired. Nine paramedics brought AED and administered CPR to the youngster. The reaction of players and 19,000 fans at BMO Stadium was enough to suggest that it surely wasn’t a petty sight to ignore. Yet, after almost 10 minutes of halting the match, the decision? Players went back to their positions, with Savy King getting replaced by Megan Reid and the referee signaled to continue the match.

Even the stoppage time was added exactly as much as the play was halted for. ACFC won 2-0 and King was later deemed as ‘out of danger’. Yet, for the entire NWSL community, the game should have been suspended. “These moments demand humanity, sound judgment, and restraint,” the NWSLPA said in a statement compiled by ESPN FC. “Any medical emergency that requires the administration of life-saving care should bring play to an end. The match should not have continued.”

“Incidents of this severity must prioritize our collective humanity and should automatically trigger suspension of the match. The Players Association is committed to making this the standard in NWSL,” the statement added, noting that even though players are world-class competitors who rarely complain while performing under “unimaginable conditions,” it still does not give the league the right to proceed with the game.

Notably, even Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman made a personal appeal over this issue, stating that “In no world should that game have continued.” Rest were the voices of revered pundits and fans alike, echoing NWSLPA’s sentiments over the decision to ignore the gravity of events.

Interestingly, Commissioner Jessica Berman-led league did share a statement after the incident saying, “Player safety is paramount to the NWSL. The seriousness of this incident requires a deliberate process that is careful and methodical. That process is underway and will include necessary revisions that prioritize the consideration of player, staff, and fan well-being.”

However, from the looks of it, many feel that the NWSL hardly stands by such statements. After all, they didn’t direct the cancellation of the match. Regardless, that only pushed the league’s Players Association to step forward and take matters into their own hands. Then again, this raises a question of whether the NWSLPA would win their argument over this matter!

Will NWSLPA challenge history to fight for the Savy King incident?

This isn’t the first time such an incident has transpired on a soccer pitch. Let’s walk down memory lane to talk about the UEFA Euro 2020 group-stage match between Denmark and Finland. During the 43rd minute, a throw-in near the touchline suddenly saw Christen Erikson collapse on the ground in a similar fashion to Savy King. As others went puzzled for a moment, his teammate Simon Kjær rushed to the scene, having a clear grasp of what happened with the midfielder.

Next thing you know, everyone became aware of the situation with Erikson getting treated. Consider that situation so close that the team’s doctors insisted that Christen Erikson “was gone,” literally. How close the soccer world was to losing such a talented player, you ask? Well, the former Tottenham man should consider himself lucky to have been able to brought back to life by just one shock.

Having collapsed exactly at 5.43 pm GMT, leaving for hospital after 15 minutes, it was around 6.32 pm the Danish FA confirmed that Erikson was out of danger. Until then, the game was at a halt. However, the most shocking turn of events saw UEFA announce at 7.05 pm that the match would continue with the game. Of course, at that time as well, the decision was deemed unnecessary by many.

Among them was former international Michael Laudrup, who expressed his discontent on TV3+ stating, “Having to make a decision so soon after a big emotional event is wrong. They [UEFA] should just have said: ‘We won’t play more tonight, of course, and then we will look at what possibilities there are.’”

But there was no such valid response from UEFA, who rather had pressure to conclude the time-bounded tournament and were hardly keen to reschedule a game for later. But coming back to Savy King’s situation, at least NWSL could have done is to have scheduled the match for later.

Not to mention that such cardiac arrest incidents have actually opened the eyes of many apex stakeholders. Well, to recall another unfortunate moment, just this past December, 22-year-old AS Roma midfielder Edoardo Bove—young and in peak condition—suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed on the pitch during a Serie A clash against Inter Milan.

The incident transpired within the 17th minute of the game. After the necessary treatment that delayed the game, he was urgently rushed to the hospital. And you know the best part? The match was suspended by Serie A officials after Edoardo Bove’s collapse. This proves that in such happenings, matches can be forfeited.

But the NWSL? Forget it. No wonder the NWSLPA didn’t hesitate to speak out about the incident. Moving forward, the first and foremost hope is, of course, that such cardiac incidents never happen again and that all players remain healthy. Yet, in the most unfortunate cases, if they do, we can only hope that those responsible for the game know what decision they must make—not merely out of basic courtesy, but with an understanding of how deeply it affects everyone involved.

Do you think the NWSLPA is right and that the matches should be halted in such situations? Let us know in the comments.