Autopsy reveals UCF's Plancher had gene trait tied to 10 similar deaths
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A 19-year-old University of Central Florida football player who collapsed and died after a conditioning workout in March carried an inherited gene that has been tied to the deaths of 10 young athletes since 2000, according to autopsy results released Thursday.
Ereck Plancher, a redshirt freshman wide receiver from Naples, Fla., died March 18 following a 20-minute training session on the Orlando campus. The university was aware Plancher carried the sickle cell trait -- a condition that less than a year ago prompted the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) to issue a warning and recommendations for dealing with athletes who possess the trait.
UCF had screened Plancher for the sickle cell trait twice in 2007, and both results indicated he had it, according to medical records obtained by ESPN and explained by a person familiar with his death. UCF spokesman Grant Heston confirmed the school's football coaches and trainers were aware of Plancher's condition, which did not preclude him from playing or practicing.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3493985
:sad:
TerryTateluxury_boxI think the most telling detail of this article is that ESPN dispatched Mark Fainaru-Wada to research and uncover facts on this story. He co-wrote "Game of Shadows" and if you guys recall, he was going to sit in jail to protect his sources from that book. I have a hard time believing that there would be any BS in this story. I didn't click on the ESPN link when I saw it yesterday, just because I thought it was details from an AP copy which didn't have all these revelations. Boy was I wrong.
It's going to be a rough time for my alma mater.
Coral ReeferNew MemberIt was a very sad thing that happened and I wish nothing but peace for his family.
That said I'm pretty sick of people trying to villify UCF in this.
It was a tragic thing that has unfortunately happened before and unfortunately will happen again. If athletes having these traits that COULD lead to a problem decide to play then they take the risk. I don't think these shcools should be dragged through the mud from it. If this is the way it's going to be then schools will just have to ban anyone having any possible genetic trait that could become an issue from competing in organized sports.
RIP Jetssuck
gafinfansubscriber"Coral Reefer wrote:
It was a very sad thing that happened and I wish nothing but peace for his family.
That said I'm pretty sick of people trying to villify UCF in this.
It was a tragic thing that has unfortunately happened before and unfortunately will happen again. If athletes having these traits that COULD lead to a problem decide to play then they take the risk. I don't think these shcools should be dragged through the mud from it. If this is the way it's going to be then schools will just have to ban anyone having any possible genetic trait that could become an issue from competing in organized sports.
I couldn't agree more and I don't blame the athete either. It's not how long you live its how well you live what you've got! May he RIP.
This is the only thing I’ve learned: There’s only us. There’s no them. Despots and authoritarians need to make a “them” to have a straw man whom you are against. If you need to make an enemy of “them,” you’ve lost the spirit of us. - Ken Burns of PBS
VinsjetsNew MemberThe Orlando Sentinel (Slantinel), somewhere along the lines, forgot that this was about a young man losing his life. What started out as journalism, quickly turned into a smear campaign against UCF. Immediately after Erecks death, The Slantinel went to a former QB (Moffett) and printed an article about how he disliked George O'Leary. Along with the articles printed using only "anonymous sources" stating George and Co were treating him poorly.
It's nothing short of disgusting the way the Central Florida media handled this, and I applaud the fact that George O'Leary is refusing to talk to anyone associated with the Slantinel until a full apology is issued.
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