Hypertension Hits Nigerian League, 41 Players Ordered To Stop Playing

 FRANCIS  ACHI/ Abuja 

 Dr Olajide Adebola, member of FIFA Medicals 

Hypertension, a deadly medical condition, has knocked out 41 players from playing in the Nationnwide  League One after they did a comprehensive medical check – up to ascertain their medical condition and fitness as footballers.

This was revealed by Dr. Olajide Adebola, a member of FIFA Medicals, who led a team of medical  practitioners  to conduct the check-  up on the players in the Nationwide League One. To Dr. Adebola, it is very important to conduct medical test on the players periodically in order to guard against  sudden death on the field.

“In the last round of the Nationwide League, 41 players across 27 states of the federation  where the Nationwide League One clubs were registered last year were asked not to play in the league until their health status had been re-examined. The essence was to preserve their lives, ” Dr. Adebola said.

Dr. Adebola, who is the Medical Consultant to the Nationwide League, said that there are some hidden medical ailments in some players and only comprehensive medical tests can detect some of these ailments, stressing further that the ailments that made the 41 players to stop playing football in the Nationwide League One are systemic hypertension and suspected cases of idiopathic cardiomyopathy.

“Clubs in all the tiers of the Nigerian  league should conduct medical tests for their players to find out any serious medical conditions of their players. In the Nationwide League One, we discovered that these 41 players were having the issues of systemic hypertension and cases of idiopathic cardiomyopathy, so we asked them to stop playing football, until further medical tests are conducted” Dr. Adebola informed.

He added that :”The players were asked to see specialist such as Cardiologist who will now confirm whether the enlargement of the heart is in diadem with sporting exercises over the years that affected the changes in the heart or the heart is diseased itself”

Dr. Adebola further informed that the first batch of medical check – up of players in the Nationwide League One ahead of the new season has already commenced last week, which involves 51 clubs in the first batch, while he and 16 other medical practitioners are conducting the test for the players in the clubs.

” We have already commenced the medical check – up of players for the new season with 51 clubs in the first batch. 16 Medical doctors are already in 16 states to conduct the first batch of comprehensive medical check up for players in these clubs. The main purpose is to avoid tragic death of any player on the field of play in the Nationwide League, ” he said.