It is important to continue improving heart screenings in sport in the wake of Tom Lockyer’s on-pitch cardiac arrest, says James Taylor, whose cricket career was cut short because of a heart condition.
Luton captain Lockyer is in hospital after collapsing during Saturday’s Premier League game with Bournemouth.
Taylor was forced to retire from cricket in 2016 at the age of 26.
“Screening processes do a fantastic job but we can always be better,” he said.
Speaking to 5 Live Breakfast, the former England batter added: “It is a really sad case and thankfully Tom has got great care where he is now.
“Screening protocols in whatever sport clearly need to be worked on and improved always.”
Lockyer collapsed during the second half at the Vitality Stadium and both sets of players were taken off the pitch while he received treatment.
The game was eventually abandoned.
In a statement on Sunday, Luton said Lockyer was still in hospital undergoing “tests and scans” and “is awaiting the results before the next steps for his recovery are determined”.
The defender also collapsed during Luton’s play-off final win against Coventry in May and was taken to hospital.
He subsequently had heart surgery and was given the all-clear to return to playing in June, with Lockyer saying at the time that his heart had been “checked and double checked”, and that all the scans and tests had “come back positive”.
Professor Aneil Malhotra, a cardiologist who works with several Premier League teams, says the 29-year-old will have been subjected to stringent tests before being allowed to play again.
“Our understanding of conditions affecting the heart has evolved and an athlete-centred approach has been adopted, where one can reduce potential harm while supporting the player to follow their aspirations,” he told 5 Live Breakfast.
“He will have been appropriately risk-assessed prior to returning to play and would have been under close surveillance as a result of that.”
