US player sues hospital after on-field cardiac arrest

Savannah DeMelo collapsed during a league match between Racing Louisville and Seattle Reign

United States women’s national team player Savannah DeMelo has sued a hospital and two doctors over an on-field cardiac arrest she suffered during a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) match last year.

As reported by BBC Sport on Thursday, DeMelo, 28, filed the lawsuit against University of Louisville Health (UofL Health), Dr Sarabjeet Suri and Dr Jennifer Daily in Jefferson Circuit Court in Kentucky, where her club, Racing Louisville, is based.

According to court documents, DeMelo alleges that the defendants “failed to act as a reasonably prudent and competent medical practice,” and that their alleged negligence was “a substantial factor in causing DeMelo to suffer severe physical injuries, including, but not limited to, her cardiac arrest.”

DeMelo collapsed during the first half of Racing Louisville’s match on September 14, 2025. She has not played since the incident.

The lawsuit states that DeMelo had complained of chest pain, dizziness, and shortness of breath before the cardiac arrest. In March 2025, Dr Daily referred her to Dr Suri for “evaluation and treatment.”

According to the filing, Dr Suri obtained DeMelo’s medical history, performed a physical examination, and ordered diagnostic tests.

Nearly six months later, DeMelo suffered the cardiac arrest. The lawsuit states that she was subsequently diagnosed and treated for ventricular tachycardia, an abnormal heart rhythm.

Dr Daily is Racing Louisville’s chief medical officer, according to her University of Louisville biography. The lawsuit says DeMelo was under her care from January 2024 to July 2026.

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DeMelo, who has seven senior caps for the United States, was selected for the US squad at the 2023 Women’s World Cup and started the team’s first two matches at the tournament.

Marking one year since her collapse, DeMelo addressed the incident in a post on Instagram.

“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.

She said she appreciated the privacy she had received while dealing with the aftermath of the incident.

“I’ll never be able to fully put into words how emotionally hard this year has been,” DeMelo wrote. “There has been a lot of uncertainty and emotions intertwined with it all.”

DeMelo has spent her entire professional career with Racing Louisville but has not returned to competitive football since the cardiac arrest.

The allegations in the lawsuit have not been proven in court, and the case remains ongoing.