Allan Chaney's career apparently over

[jimsumner]

No big surprise. Still, very, very unfortunate for Chaney.

From VT press release

"Virginia Tech forward Allan Chaney has been denied medical clearance to return to practice and competition by the Virginia Tech Sports Medicine Department due to continued complications from a cardiac condition.

'Allan Chaney has been through a great deal in the last year and a half,” head coach Seth Greenberg said. “Everyone involved in our basketball program feels for him. Unfortunately, this rare condition will prevent him from continuing his career here at Virginia Tech. We will do everything in our power to assist Allan as he goes through his next procedure and support him in every way possible.'

Chaney, a junior from Baltimore, Md., transferred to Virginia Tech from the University of Florida in 2009 and sat out the 2009-10 season due to NCAA transfer rules. In April of 2010, Chaney passed out during exercise and was diagnosed with myocarditis. He has been restricted from activity since.

Since his first diagnosis, Chaney has undergone a thorough and exhaustive course of evaluation and treatment. As a result of his medical condition, the Virginia Tech medical staff has determined that in order to minimize his risk for further complications from his condition, Chaney will not be cleared to return to basketball.

'Allan is an outstanding young man, who has gone through a lot this year both physically and emotionally,” team physician Dr. Mark Rogers said. “Unfortunately due to persistent complications from myocarditis, this will not allow us to medically clear him to play basketball at Virginia Tech.'

Due to federal privacy laws, no further statement will be issued on this matter."

[devildeac]

No big surprise. Still, very, very unfortunate for Chaney.

From VT press release

"Virginia Tech forward Allan Chaney has been denied medical clearance to return to practice and competition by the Virginia Tech Sports Medicine Department due to continued complications from a cardiac condition.

'Allan Chaney has been through a great deal in the last year and a half,” head coach Seth Greenberg said. “Everyone involved in our basketball program feels for him. Unfortunately, this rare condition will prevent him from continuing his career here at Virginia Tech. We will do everything in our power to assist Allan as he goes through his next procedure and support him in every way possible.'

Chaney, a junior from Baltimore, Md., transferred to Virginia Tech from the University of Florida in 2009 and sat out the 2009-10 season due to NCAA transfer rules. In April of 2010, Chaney passed out during exercise and was diagnosed with myocarditis. He has been restricted from activity since.

Since his first diagnosis, Chaney has undergone a thorough and exhaustive course of evaluation and treatment. As a result of his medical condition, the Virginia Tech medical staff has determined that in order to minimize his risk for further complications from his condition, Chaney will not be cleared to return to basketball.

'Allan is an outstanding young man, who has gone through a lot this year both physically and emotionally,” team physician Dr. Mark Rogers said. “Unfortunately due to persistent complications from myocarditis, this will not allow us to medically clear him to play basketball at Virginia Tech.'

Due to federal privacy laws, no further statement will be issued on this matter."

My suspicion would be that he has continued cardiac enlargement and/or some degree of congestive heart failure and they are not taking any chances of sudden cardiac death as was the case with Hank Gathers, though it appears he had a form of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is a thickening of the heart muscle mass not related to a myocarditis which is an inflammatory process.

Feel real sorry for this young man but his health and safety are foremost.

[MCFinARL]

It's interesting that, according to the article linked from the front page, Chaney and, according to Chaney, his own doctor think he could play with a defibrillator but the team doctors don't want to take that chance. Chaney is apparently looking to play somewhere else if he can.

Hard to tell whether this is mostly wishful thinking on Chaney's part or an excess of caution (involving, in part, fear of legal liability) on Tech's part. But it is a shame either way. If he does find a place that will let him play, I hope he can do so safely.