Racing Louisville midfielder Savannah DeMelo appeared to faint late in the first half of her team’s road match against Seattle Reign, which was abandoned Sunday night.
DeMelo, 27, slowly took a seated position on the field of play two minutes into first-half stoppage time and a teammate was attending to her while a referee called for trainers to check her out. Several seconds later, DeMelo collapsed while a second teammate was holding her arm in an effort to keep her upright.
DeMelo was diagnosed with Graves’ disease last year and revealed her health struggles earlier this season after she left a match early due to chest tightness and dizziness. According to the Mayo Clinic, Graves’ disease is an immune system condition that causes hyperthyroidism.
Racing Louisville termed DeMelo’s episode a “medical emergency” in a statement after the match was abandoned.
“Savannah, who received immediate on-field care from medical personnel, is stable and alert. She was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation,” the team’s statement said.
“The remainder of the game will be rescheduled for a later date, and further updates will be provided as appropriate.”
The match was scoreless at the time of DeMelo’s emergency.
DeMelo has played for Racing Louisville since 2022 and has made seven appearances for the U.S. women’s national team, including at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
–Field Level Media
