Enock Mpewu of Brighton & Hove Albion FC has retired at the age of 24.
Brighton & Hove Albion FC has announced the retirement of young soccer striker Enock Mpewu at the age of 24.
His retirement is due to a genetic heart condition.
In a statement, the club stated that it will continue to provide him with the necessary support in order for him to be healthy and live a longer life.
"We will assist him in ensuring that the condition is managed with the appropriate treatment so that he can otherwise live a long and healthy life."
Read Club Statement Below
Enock Mwepu was forced to retire from football after being diagnosed with a hereditary heart condition.
If Enock continues to play competitive football, his condition, which can worsen over time, puts him at an extremely high risk of suffering a potentially fatal cardiac event.
"We are all absolutely devastated for Enock," said club chairman Tony Bloom. He and his family have been through a traumatic few weeks, and while we are grateful he has survived, he has seen such a promising career cut short at such a young age." We will give him all the love, help, and support we can to help him recover completely, and then as he decides on the next step, we will do the same.
"I am so sorry for Enock," said head coach Roberto De Zerbi. Before I arrived, I looked over the entire squad, and he was the player I was most excited to work with. We will do everything in our power to assist him."
"It is a terrible blow for Enock, but he has to put his health and his family first, and this is the right choice, however difficult it is to quit the game he loves," said Adam Brett, Head of Medicine and Performance.
Enock became ill on a flight to join up with Zambia during the international break, and after a stay in Mali, he returned to Brighton for additional cardiac tests and ongoing care.
These tests revealed that his illness is caused by a hereditary cardiac condition that manifests later in life and was not previously detected during routine cardiac screening. Unfortunately, playing sports can aggravate this, so Enock has been advised that the only option for his own safety is for him to stop playing football.
"Of course, given this is Enock's career and a decision that cannot be taken lightly, we have taken our time to be as thorough as possible, completed advanced cardiac investigations, and collaborated with clinical experts to obtain the best second opinions for Enock."
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