May 19 – The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has announced that any future matches featuring life-threatening emergencies will be abandoned, following Angel City FC’s Savy King collapsing on the pitch during a game against the Utah Royals on May 9.
After the match concluded, players from both teams locked arms in the center circle in paryer for King.
The NWSL Players Association stated that the game should have been canceled, echoing USWNT forward Trinity Rodman, who posted on Instagram: “Prayers for Savy King as well as her loved ones and the players that were on that field. In no world should that game 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,” the NWSL said in a statement issued to ESPN on 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.”
Utah Royals head coach Jimmy Coenraets also said that the game should have been abandoned: “In those moments, I’m not sure if we should have continued the game. You’re emotionally – not only them, but also our players, were just scared and I think that’s not the right position or not the right situation to be in. But in the end, that’s a decision that other people are making. But I think it was really a tough moment.”
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