French rugby union star Uini Atonio has been forced into early retirement due to a "cardiac event". The 35-year-old prop forward, who won 68 caps for France and was part of their 2022 Grand Slam-winning side, was taken to an intensive care unit at a hospital in La Rochelle after suffering chest pains.
His team-mate Gael Fickou has paid tribute to Atonio, describing him as "an incredible player with an extraordinary physique and amazing qualities". Fickou said that Atonio was the best French prop they had ever had, and that his loss would be felt greatly within the team.
The heart condition which led to Atonio's retirement is just one of many that have affected rugby players in recent years. England internationals Nick Isiekwe and Jack Singleton have both undergone treatment for cardiac issues in recent times, highlighting the growing awareness of the risks associated with playing the sport at high levels.
According to Professor Daniel Augustine, a leading expert on sports cardiology, 2-3% of elite athletes will have an underlying heart condition. He believes that modern media is more likely to highlight instances of heart problems among top players, rather than the actual incidence of the issue within the sport as a whole.
The increased awareness and screening for cardiac issues are necessary due to the growing demands of the sport, particularly on forwards who are exposed to increased physical contact and stress during games. Rugby players are now more likely to be checked regularly for any underlying heart problems, with bespoke schedules set up for those at greater risk.
His team-mate Gael Fickou has paid tribute to Atonio, describing him as "an incredible player with an extraordinary physique and amazing qualities". Fickou said that Atonio was the best French prop they had ever had, and that his loss would be felt greatly within the team.
The heart condition which led to Atonio's retirement is just one of many that have affected rugby players in recent years. England internationals Nick Isiekwe and Jack Singleton have both undergone treatment for cardiac issues in recent times, highlighting the growing awareness of the risks associated with playing the sport at high levels.
According to Professor Daniel Augustine, a leading expert on sports cardiology, 2-3% of elite athletes will have an underlying heart condition. He believes that modern media is more likely to highlight instances of heart problems among top players, rather than the actual incidence of the issue within the sport as a whole.
The increased awareness and screening for cardiac issues are necessary due to the growing demands of the sport, particularly on forwards who are exposed to increased physical contact and stress during games. Rugby players are now more likely to be checked regularly for any underlying heart problems, with bespoke schedules set up for those at greater risk.
rugby's just not made for people with hearts that are gonna fail lol meanwhile i'm glad they're taking steps to screen for cardiac issues and all but idc if the game gets more intense it'll probably just lead to more injuries... can't protect your body from everything, right?
rugby is getting more serious with all these cardiac issues popping up left & right so yeah screenin for heart problems makes sense especially 2-3% of elite athletes have them idk what's gonna happen to the sport tho
thats so sad that he had to retire like that hope his team mates can support him thru this tough time 
️ he was so underrated lol 
anyway gotta feel bad 4 him, cardiac issues r no joke 
hope he gets some rest & recovers soon 
the stats r crazy tho, 2-3% of elite athletes? that's a lot of hearts at risk 
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... cardiac events can happen anytime 
... it's like all good things must come to an end 
... but his legacy will live on in the sport 
... and let's hope other players don't suffer the same fate 
... modern media is great for raising awareness about heart issues, it's a step in the right direction 
... and with more screening and checks, we can help prevent cardiac events from happening 
... rugby needs to take care of its players, they're like our superheroes on the pitch 
, that's just crazy talk. Cardiac event, eh? Sounds like it could've been something avoidable if only they did more scans before joining the team 
what's the point of having all these stats and numbers if we can't even keep our athletes safe? 
. We need to be doing more to prevent this from happening, not just reporting on the players who do get affected 
Atonio's early retirement is such a shame! 35 is still pretty young for an athlete to hang up their boots. You gotta feel for the guy, his heart literally gave out on him 
.
. The sport needs people like Fickou speaking up about Atonio's amazing qualities and what we'll miss about him 
. Anyway, hope Uuni makes a full recovery or whatever