Aubameyang and Davies affected: When the heart paralyzes football

Aubameyang and Davies affected
When the heart paralyzes football

You want to play but you can’t. Both Alphonso Davies and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have heart problems. Both footballers were previously infected with the corona virus. One thing has top priority: relaxation.

One sport, two professionals popular in Germany, both of whom were first infected with the corona virus and now have heart problems. Both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alphonso Davies are affected. The former Dortmund player is currently absent from the Gabonese selection at the Africa Cup of Nations due to a heart “lesion”. The Canadian defender Davies has to pause at FC Bayern for weeks because he suffers from a myocarditis.

Aubameyang had tested positive for the corona virus a week ago. His teammates Axel Méyé (IR Tanger) and Mario Lemina (OGC Nice) did not play in the 1-1 draw with Ghana on Friday for the same reasons. The African continental association CAF had identified the problems during an investigation. “According to the CAF Medical Commission, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Axel Méyé and Mario Lemina cannot take part in the game. The tests revealed heart problems. The CAF did not want to take any risks,” Gabon’s football association said.

National coach Patrice Neveu gave the all clear after the game – and contradicted the association’s diagnosis. “It is very clear that Pierre-Emerick does not have a heart problem, neither does Mario. It is possible that the disease has left its mark,” he said: “We will do MRIs again, but it was wise not to let them play . We followed protocol.” Any player who has tested negative after a positive corona test must undergo a medical examination before being allowed to play again.

Aubameyang “definitely wanted to play,” said Neveu. Now the coach “hopes” to use the players in the third game against Morocco: “We really need them.”

“Can cause permanent damage”

Bayern professional Davies also wants to play, but he’s not allowed to either. Trainer Julian Nagelsmann said on Friday: “Of course there is a probability these days that it will come from a corona infection plus sporting activity. But we don’t know 100 percent.” And further: “But it also has no relevance to the further course of action for him. The fact is: he has it – it’s modest to crappy, to extremely crappy.”

The fact that the players now have to pause is for doctor and medical journalist Dr. Christoph Specht just right. With such an illness you have to be careful and heal yourself completely, he said RTL / ntv. “Inflammation of the heart muscle can lead to permanent damage. In the worst case, such a disease can end a top athlete’s career.”

The example of ice hockey professional Janik Möser shows that it doesn’t have to be that bad, of course. He received this diagnosis in 2020 after his corona infection, at the age of 25. In February 2021, the defender of the Wolfsburg Grizzlies was able to return to the ice. But the example and the two recent cases of Davies and Aubameyang underscore what Dr. Specht says: Younger people in particular are affected by heart muscle inflammation after an infection.

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