B.C. Lions’ Phil Norman recovering in hospital after pre-practice collapse
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Digital Subscription
One year of digital access for only $205*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/06/2023 (1206 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
SURREY, B.C. – A B.C. Lions player is recovering in hospital after collapsing on the field before the start of Wednesday’s practice.
Offensive lineman Phil Norman suffered what the CFL club described as a “significant medical episode” during the team’s pre-practice walk-through. The team added that Norman is conscious, alert and receiving medical attention.
“After going down at the start of Wednesday’s practice, Phil was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation,” Neil McEvoy, the Lions co-general manager and director of football operations, said in a statement. “His EKG (electrocardiogram) test has come back normal.
“Phil will undergo further blood testing and assessment from a cardiologist and will be kept in hospital overnight as a precaution.”
Norman signed with the Lions in 2018 after spending three years at Bethune-Cookman University. He spent the 2018 season on the Lions’ practice roster before making his pro debut in 2019.
Norman was released by the team in 2021 and was re-signed last year.
He’s started 29 games over three seasons.
Fellow lineman Sukh Chungh was visibly emotional speaking to reporters after the event.
“It looked like it wasn’t an accident or a fall. It looked like he had dropped,” he said. “My initial reaction was to yell for the trainers and call 911. And that’s what we’re taught to do. They were at his aid very quickly.”
Head coach Rick Campbell said he’s never experienced a case like this before in his pro career and decided the best thing to do would be to cancel practice.
“We just didn’t want to make these guys practice after seeing something like that. It’s not an easy thing to watch,” he said. “It’s always out of place when you see something like that and there’s no physical exertion or physical contact.”
Campbell cancelled practice and other team activities following the incident, a move which was praised by players.
“Rick does a great job of taking care of us mentally and physically and I think he understands the severity of what happened today and it’d be hard to continue practice having that in the back of our mind and being concerned for Phil,” Chungh said.
There is no immediate word on Norman’s potential return to action.
The Lions are scheduled to play the Edmonton Elks at B.C. Place on Saturday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 14, 2023.