The NWSL Players Association (NWSLPA) is urging the league to adopt a mandatory, unambiguous `bright-line rule` regarding match day procedures, prompted by the recent medical incident involving Angel City FC defender Savy King. The 20-year-old center back experienced a collapse during her team`s game against the Utah Royals and has since undergone successful heart surgery, according to an update from her club and family.
The incident occurred in the 78th minute of the game. Despite King being stretchered off the field, the league did not postpone the match at the time. The NWSL has faced ongoing criticism for its management of this emergency ahead of the week nine schedule. An initial statement released by the league on Saturday offered well wishes to King and commended the medical personnel, while also stating that all game protocols had been followed.
“League protocols were followed from both a medical and game operations perspective. We are grateful to the Angel City medical staff as well as to local paramedics who handled this difficult situation seamlessly,” a portion of that statement read.
Sources familiar with the situation indicate that the NWSL intends to modify its policy moving forward. This development follows a statement from the NWSL Players Association on Wednesday demanding a review of the league`s policy on postponing games.
In an interview with Attacking Third, NWSLPA executive director Meghann Burke elaborated on the union`s call for a `bright-line rule`. Such a rule would provide a clear and undeniable directive for any future medical events during a game, eliminating ambiguity, simplifying decision-making, and reducing potential disputes.
“If player safety is of paramount importance, then I`m wondering what other factors could possibly be at play in a life-saving situation here. We`re making it too hard. This is a very straightforward decision. Life-saving measures on the field to revive a player or stabilize a player — or coach or referee — the game should stop playing… and this is the reason that the players are asking for a bright-line rule,” Burke stated.
The NWSL later publicly acknowledged that the match should not have continued. In comments to The Athletic, the league stated, “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.”
They added, “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.”
King is currently in her second professional season. She left the University of North Carolina early to turn pro and was the second overall pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft by Bay FC before being traded to Angel City in the offseason, where she became a significant presence in their defense.
As she recovers, the incident has intensified calls throughout the women`s soccer community for the league to prioritize athlete safety and establish clearer emergency response protocols.
King`s medical emergency is one of several concerning incidents emerging in collegiate and professional sports. Other examples include NBA player Bronny James`s cardiac episode while at USC, Christian Eriksen requiring emergency care after cardiac arrest during the 2022 UEFA Euros, and the NFL`s Damar Hamlin experiencing a similar medical event during a game with the Buffalo Bills.
Notably, the responses to the Eriksen and Hamlin incidents differed. Eriksen`s match continued later that night after he was hospitalized, following a request from both teams` players. The NFL, however, postponed and ultimately canceled the Bills` Monday night game after consulting with the involved teams and the NFL Players Association.
While each situation is unique, Burke maintains that the circumstances surrounding King`s collapse were severe enough to necessitate stopping the match, ensuring the safety and well-being of King and everyone else involved. She asserted that the decision to continue the game was incorrect, and despite varying outcomes in other professional sports emergencies, the NWSL and the Players Association aim to set a precedent for making the right decisions.
“[A bright line rule] would be consistent with what we`re hearing across the industry when you look at the Damar Hamlin situation, which, to be clear, is a different medical situation. But even the NFL, which is probably the biggest moneymaker in all pro sports, stopped because it was the right thing to do,” Burke remarked.
“We`re human beings, and this is a simple matter of humanity. We are looking for decisiveness. The decision should have been made Friday night. In the days that followed, there was an opportunity to make a decision. We`re still hand-wringing about what`s the right call, and for us this is very clear and very simple.”
