SAN JOSE, Calif. — National Women’s Soccer League commissioner Jessica Berman spoke publicly on Saturday for the first time since Angel City FC defender Savy King collapsed during a game against the Utah Royals on May 9.
During halftime of Angel City’s game at Bay FC on Saturday, Berman said the league was focused on “ensuring that all of our medical procedures were followed and that, on a go-forward basis,” games do not continue under any similar circumstances. Though the commissioner reiterated that the match should not have continued, she provided little detail on how the decision was made or the specifics of her involvement that night.
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King, 20, collapsed on the field in the 74th minute of the regular-season game against the Royals last week with her team up 1-0. She was down for several minutes and received care from Angel City’s medical staff, who have been praised by the NWSL, players and NWSL Players Association for their quick action, before being transported via ambulance to California Hospital Medical Center.
“Our focus was really on making sure that the player was cared for during the game, and so we were quite relieved and pleased that she had the resources and that Angel City’s medical team really managed her care effortlessly and amazingly,” Berman told reporters Saturday. “All we could do is learn from the experience and conclude that in a future situation, we will ensure that our policies and protocols do not allow the game to continue.”
When asked whether she was awake last Friday night at the time of the incident, which occurred over an hour into a game that kicked off at 10 p.m. ET, Berman said, “As we’ve reviewed the situation, I don’t think it’s constructive to recount who did what and when.”
When The Athletic asked Berman if a replacement ambulance had been ordered to the field before the game restarted, she said, “I would have to double-check on that because I wouldn’t want to answer that specific question without confirming.”
The full medical guidelines for NWSL are not publicly available. However, the league’s collective bargaining agreement with the players’ association states that teams shall secure a medical provider and agreement and/or association with a medical center to provide emergency care “for necessary medical treatment for players from the home and visiting teams.”
Earlier in the week, King was transferred to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where she underwent successful surgery to address a heart abnormality. Angel City said her prognosis is “excellent.”
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Utah Royals head coach Jimmy Coenraets said he was not sure the game should have continued after King’s collapse.
“You’re emotionally — not only them but also our players were just scared,” Coenraets told reporters after the May 9 game. “That’s not the right situation to be in, but in the end, we played on. That’s the decision other people have taken, which is fine. It was a really tough moment.”
Monday, Angel City and Bay FC players and front offices came together to discuss the best way to honor King and decided to wear black shirts with “SK3,” King’s initials and jersey number. Angel City players also wore black armbands during the game.
NWSLPA executive director Meghann Burke told the “Full Time” podcast that the league needs to implement “bright-line rules” around stopping games in the face of a medical emergency. The organization later praised the league for acknowledging that the game should not have continued.
Berman said the league learned to ensure it handles future situations appropriately and that matches will not continue when similar medical emergencies take place.
“I think a lot of communication and learning and, most importantly, a focus on really ensuring that we are showing up for the people who were in that stadium. I can’t imagine what that was like for everyone who experienced it and wanted to make sure that our focus was on the resources that they need to process and digest what they all experienced,” Berman said. “Secondarily, our focus was on the player and her family and making sure that she was OK, and thankfully, she was.”
(Photo of Jessica Berman: Kylie Graham / Imagn Images)
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