{"id":773479,"date":"2026-09-17T09:34:10","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T09:34:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/773479\/"},"modified":"2026-09-17T09:34:10","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T09:34:10","slug":"savannah-demelo-usa-midfielder-sues-doctors-after-on-pitch-cardiac-arrest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/773479\/","title":{"rendered":"Savannah DeMelo: USA midfielder sues doctors after on-pitch cardiac arrest"},"content":{"rendered":"

United States women’s national team player Savannah DeMelo is suing a hospital and two doctors after she suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch last year.<\/p>\n

Midfielder DeMelo, who has seven senior caps for the USA, has filed a lawsuit against University of Louisville Health (UofL Health) for negligence.<\/p>\n

The 28-year-old, who plays for Racing Louisville, collapsed in the first half of a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) match on 14 September 2025.<\/p>\n

According to documents, external<\/a> seen by BBC Sport, the case was filed on Tuesday morning with Jefferson Circuit Court in Kentucky, where her club is based – a year and a day after her on-field collapse.<\/p>\n

DeMelo’s filing claims UofL Health and two doctors, Dr Sarabjeet Suri and Dr Jennifer Daily, “failed to act as a reasonably prudent and competent medical practice, and such negligence was a substantial factor in causing DeMelo to suffer severe physical injuries, including, but not limited to, her cardiac arrest”.<\/p>\n

Dr Daily, according to her online UofL biography, external<\/a>, is Racing Louisville’s chief medical officer. The lawsuit states DeMelo was under the care of Dr Daily from January 2024 to July 2026.<\/p>\n

It states that in March 2025, Dr Daily referred DeMelo to Dr Suri for “evaluation and treatment” after she had been complaining of chest pain, dizziness and shortness of air; Dr Suri obtained a history, performed a physical examination and ordered diagnostic tests.<\/p>\n

Nearly six months later, DeMelo suffered the cardiac arrest.<\/p>\n

“She was subsequently diagnosed and treated for ventricular tachycardia [an abnormal heart rhythm],” the suit states.<\/p>\n

DeMelo, who has spent her entire professional career with Racing Louisville, has not played since her collapse.<\/p>\n

In a post to her Instagram page, external<\/a> on Tuesday, De Melo – who was picked in the USA squad for the 2023 Women’s World Cup and started their first two games – marked the anniversary of the incident.<\/p>\n

“A year ago today, while playing soccer, I collapsed due to an undiagnosed cardiac arrhythmia, that caused me to go into cardiac arrest,” she wrote.<\/p>\n

“I respect and appreciate the privacy everyone has met me with while going through everything I have this year. I’ll never be able to fully put into words how emotionally hard this year has been. There has been a lot of uncertainty and emotions intertwined with it all.”<\/p>\n