- A dozen Tufts Boston players have been diagnosed with a rare muscle condition
- Five of those players remain in hospital undergoing further testing
- The problems arose after a voluntary training conducted by a former student of the school
Twelve men’s lacrosse players at Tufts University in Boston suffered a rare muscle injury after voluntarily training a former Navy SEAL player, a school spokesman said.
Five players remain in hospital after being diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a condition that results in muscle breakdown and can be life-threatening.
“Our thoughts are with the players and their families, and we hope they return to health and care under local medical experts soon,” school spokesman Patrick Collins wrote in a statement.
“In the meantime, we are closely monitoring the condition of the rest of the team and have postponed all training activities until each team member has been examined and medically cleared to return to action,” he added.
The Tufts Jumbos recently captured the NCAA Division III title by defeating RIT this past spring at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Tufts University Jumbos players celebrate winning the 2024 Division III national championship
Rhabdomyolysis is an injury in which a person’s muscles break down, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The life-threatening condition can occur after another injury or excessive exercise without rest.
Both the number of confirmed cases and the number of hospitalizations could change, Collins said.
Given the severity of the injuries, Tufts is appointing an outside, independent investigator to conduct a thorough investigation as quickly as possible. The goal is to take all necessary steps to ensure the safety of the school’s student-athletes, he said.
The university is still investigating the circumstances that led to the injuries, he said, and cannot provide additional details until the investigation is complete.
