Nine collegiate athletes were hospitalized with a serious and rare muscle injury after training with a Navy SEAL graduate last week, with three remaining hospitalized as of Monday.
About 50 members of Tufts University’s men’s lacrosse team engaged in a supervised, 45-minute workout Sept. 16 with a Tufts alumnus who had recently graduated from the Navy’s Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL (BUD/S) training, the university confirmed.
Following the exercise, nine students were hospitalized for rhabdomyolysis, a rare condition that occurs when muscles break down after overexertion and release their contents into the bloodstream. The condition, which causes symptoms that resemble dehydration or heat exhaustion, can lead to permanent disability or death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Six students have since been released from the hospital, while three students continue to receive treatment as of Monday, according to the university.
“Our thoughts are with the players and their families, and we are hoping for their quick return to good health under the care of local medical experts,” said Patrick Collins, a Tufts University spokesperson.
Though some students have been cleared to resume training, practices have been postponed until medical personnel say otherwise.
The university said it is appointing an independent investigator to look into the circumstances that led to the hospitalization, the university’s response and a potential change to university policies to prevent a similar event from happening again.
Collins said he could not disclose the external investigator’s name as the appointment process was still underway.
The school declined to comment further about the circumstances that led to the botched training until the investigation was complete.
“The team is a tight-knit group of young men who have shown remarkable resilience, understanding and care for each other throughout this episode,” Collins said. “We will continue to monitor and work with them closely, and we hope for a rapid return to good health for all involved.”
Riley Ceder is an editorial fellow at Military Times, where he covers breaking news, criminal justice and human interest stories. He previously worked as an investigative practicum student at The Washington Post, where he contributed to the ongoing Abused by the Badge investigation.
