The coronavirus pandemic has had a terrible impact on the lives of millions of people around the world.
In America alone more than 600,000 died, a tragedy the number doesn't do justice to. Many more lost jobs or livelihoods.
But in the world of sports, one of the clearest effects of the pandemic can be seen in the players.
Six months ago, Florida basketball star Keyontae Johnson collapsed during a game during a medical episode his family said was not related to COVID-19. On Saturday, during the Euro 2020 tournament to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, Danish soccer star Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch just before halftime and had to receive medical attention where he fell, including CPR.
Both players were rushed to the hospital. Johnson is hopeful he can make a full recovery, but didn't enter the 2021 NBA Draft pool and in April was still waiting for medical clearance to play this fall.
The Union of European Football Associations said Eriksen was in stable condition in the hospital.
As seasons were halted suddenly last year, and then resumed as soon as medical clearances were given, it seems little consideration has been given to the players' physical and mental health. Athletes discussing these issues are often met with scorn - after all, they get to live out the dreams of so many people, and are often well-paid for their physical gifts and the years spent training.
The NBA in particular has seen a season of some of the highest amount of soft-tissue injuries ever. It seems like a no-brainer this can be attributed in part to the extremely truncated offseason. The NBA crowned the Los Angeles Lakers as champions Oct. 11, 2020, in a bubble environment in Florida, and 72 days later began the 2020-21 season with training camps in early December and games beginning Dec. 22.
The Lakers saw superstars Anthony Davis (strained calf, strained groin) and LeBron James (sprained ankle) play together in less than half of the season, according to ESPN, and neither was fully healthy when the Lakers were eliminated in the first round by the Phoenix Suns.
The Brooklyn Nets saw their Big 3 of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden all miss games this season. Joel Embiid (Philadelphia), Luka Doncic (Dallas) and Chris Paul (Phoenix) all played or are playing through injuries in the postseason.
According to Uproxx's Katie Heindl, four players had suffered season-ending injuries within the first month of the season.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver told the New York Times in April the league's data did not support "that our injury rate is in any way out of line with our last five seasons," but it's hard to believe that's true.
Eriksen, who plays midfield for the Italian Serie A team Inter Milan, saw the 2019-20 season suspended on March 9 by the Italian government. Play resumed June 20, the season concluded Aug. 2, but Inter had advanced in the Europa League, so the team's season didn't conclude until Aug. 21.
Eriksen suited up a few weeks later for Denmark in a pair of Nations League games, then was back in action when the 2020-21 Serie A season began Sept. 26.
It's too much, too soon. These players should have been given full off seasons to recover.
Owners, sponsors and other financial stakeholders wanted the financial security of games being played to satisfy TV deals.
We're all paying for it with serious injuries to some of sports' biggest stars.