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Twelve University of Iowa football players have been hospitalized because of a similar kidney ailment, a newspaper reported Tuesday.
The school disclosed the athletes were admitted to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics on Monday night but declined to release the players' names or why they are being treated. The university said the players are in stable and safe condition.
The dozen players were afflicted with exertional rhabdomyolysis, The Gazette of Cedar Rapids reported Tuesday night. According to the newspaper, the condition could affect the kidney’s ability to clear toxins from the body and could potentially cause permanent kidney failure.
All 12 players were doing fine, a source close to the situation told The Gazette.
It's unclear whether the condition stemmed from the players' recent particiation in lower-body drills that included a series of 100 squats followed by sled work, according to the newspaper.
Such winter workouts for football are permissible under NCAA regulations.
School officials said it's not clear when the players will be discharged.
Athletic director Gary Barta said the next step is to find out what happened so it doesn't happen again.
“Coach Kirk Ferentz is out of town recruiting, but he is aware of the situation and is being kept abreast of the progress being made,” Gary Barta, Iowa's director of athletics, said in a statement. “Our No. 1 concern is the safety of our student-athletes, so we are pleased with the positive feedback. Our next step is to find out what happened so we can avoid this happening in the future.”
Calls made to the Iowa sports information office and Barta on Tuesday afternoon weren't immediately returned.
