United States women's national team player Savannah DeMelo has filed a lawsuit against University of Louisville Health (UofL Health) and two doctors, Dr Sarabjeet Suri and Dr Jennifer Daily, over an on-field cardiac arrest she suffered during a National Women's Soccer League match last year.
As reported by BBC Sport on Thursday, the 28-year-old filed the suit in Jefferson Circuit Court in Kentucky, where her club Racing Louisville is based. According to court documents, DeMelo alleges the defendants "failed to act as a reasonably prudent and competent medical practice," and that their alleged negligence was "a substantial factor in causing DeMelo to suffer severe physical injuries, including, but not limited to, her cardiac arrest."
DeMelo collapsed during the first half of a Racing Louisville match on September 14, 2025. She has not played since.
What the lawsuit claims
The filing states DeMelo had complained of chest pain, dizziness and shortness of breath before the cardiac arrest. In March 2025, Dr Daily referred her to Dr Suri for "evaluation and treatment." According to the lawsuit, Dr Suri obtained her medical history, performed a physical examination and ordered diagnostic tests.
Roughly six months later, DeMelo suffered the cardiac arrest. She was subsequently diagnosed and treated for ventricular tachycardia, an abnormal heart rhythm, the lawsuit states.
Dr Daily is listed as Racing Louisville's chief medical officer according to her University of Louisville biography. The lawsuit says DeMelo was under her care from January 2024 to July 2026.
DeMelo's own account
Marking one year since her collapse, DeMelo addressed the incident in an Instagram post. "A year ago today, while playing soccer, I collapsed due to an undiagnosed cardiac arrhythmia, that caused me to go into cardiac arrest," she wrote. She also said she appreciated the privacy she had received while dealing with the aftermath.
"I'll never be able to fully put into words how emotionally hard this year has been," DeMelo wrote. "There has been a lot of uncertainty and emotions intertwined with it all."
DeMelo has spent her entire professional career with Racing Louisville and has not returned to competitive football since the cardiac arrest. She has seven senior caps for the United States and was part of the US squad at the 2023 Women's World Cup, starting the team's first two matches at the tournament.
The allegations in the lawsuit have not been proven in court, and the case remains ongoing.
