Savannah DeMelo Files Negligence Lawsuit Against Louisville Hospital
Savannah DeMelo, a rising figure in the United States women’s national team setup, has filed a negligence lawsuit against a Louisville hospital and two of its doctors, a year on from suffering cardiac arrest during a National Women’s Soccer League match.
The 28-year-old Racing Louisville midfielder collapsed in the first half of an NWSL game on 14 September 2025 and has not played since. On Tuesday morning, she lodged a complaint with Jefferson Circuit Court in Kentucky against University of Louisville Health (UofL Health), along with Dr Sarabjeet Suri and Dr Jennifer Daily.
Allegations of missed warning signs
Court documents seen by BBC Sport state that DeMelo’s suit accuses UofL Health and the two physicians of failing “to act as a reasonably prudent and competent medical practice,” alleging that their negligence was “a substantial factor” in causing her “severe physical injuries, including, but not limited to, her cardiac arrest.”
Dr Daily is listed on her UofL online biography as Racing Louisville’s chief medical officer. According to the filing, DeMelo was under her care from January 2024 to July 2026.
The lawsuit outlines a critical timeline. It states that in March 2025, after DeMelo reported chest pain, dizziness and shortness of breath, Dr Daily referred her to Dr Suri for “evaluation and treatment.” Dr Suri, the filing says, took a medical history, carried out a physical examination and ordered diagnostic tests.
Almost six months later, DeMelo collapsed on the pitch and went into cardiac arrest.
The suit notes that she was “subsequently diagnosed and treated for ventricular tachycardia,” an abnormal heart rhythm that can trigger sudden cardiac arrest if not identified and managed in time.
Career on hold
DeMelo has spent her entire professional career with Racing Louisville and had been on an upward trajectory before the incident. She broke into the USWNT, earning seven senior caps, and was selected for the USA squad at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, starting the team’s first two matches of the tournament.
Since the collapse, she has not returned to competitive action.
On Tuesday, she marked the one-year anniversary of her on-field cardiac arrest with an emotional post on Instagram, offering a rare public reflection on a year dominated by uncertainty.
“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.
“I respect and appreciate the privacy everyone has met me with while going through everything I have this year. I’ll never be able to fully put into words how emotionally hard this year has been. There has been a lot of uncertainty and emotions intertwined with it all.”
Her legal case now runs parallel to a stalled playing career, and the outcome may shape not only her future in the game, but also the standards by which elite athletes’ health is monitored in the years ahead.
