Sports heart screening call

British Olympic discuss thrower, Lawrence Okoye, has backed calls for heart screening on young British athletes. It has become apparent that even young, fit athletes can be affected by heart problems, with recent scares for the life of Fabrice Muamba, and the death of Piermario Morosini, both on pitch. Both of these players were unaware of the condition they possessed - which is very likely as 80% of people suffering any heart related conditions are oblivious to what they carry.

The 20 year old from Croydon has been participating in YouTube videos for a charity called 'Cardiac Risk in the Young' about his journey through the Cardiac screening process. 


He has a special connection with the charity because of a friend dying of a cardiac arrest a few years ago.

 With the Olympics coming up, and doctors of Britain now aware of the problems, and with 12 seemingly fit young people dying each week, precautions should be taken, campaigners say.

Professor Sanjay Sharma said: " This year the eyes of the sporting world will be on London as it hosts the Olympics and it's great that just weeks before the event kicks off we'll have an opportunity to speak and communicate to the public about an issue which is so crucial to athletes, especially those who compete professionally.

 "Fans watched in horror as Bolton footballer Fabrice Muamba collapsed on the pitch just months ago and sadly not long after Italian midfielder Permario Morosini, just 25, suffered a fatal heart attack on the field. We want to prevent tragedies like this from occurring."

 As the understanding of these problems has increased recently, many young athletes are being encouraged to undergo a screening exam. This is so that we can protect our upcoming athletes from the shock of a sudden heart attack and even the tragedy of dying.