Brighton and Zambia midfielder Enock Mwepu will have to retire from football aged 24 due to an inherited heart condition, his club announced on Monday.
This disease, which can worsen with age, poses "an extremely high risk of suffering a life-threatening cardiac arrest if he continues to play competitive football", explained his club, which plays in the Premier League. League.
The player felt ill during a flight to join Zambia during the last international break in September, and after hospitalization in Mali, he underwent further tests on his return to England.
“These examinations concluded that his disease is due to an inherited heart condition which manifests later in life and which was not detectable during regular cardiac examinations until now,” detailed the club.
"He stood strong to follow his dream of playing football at the highest level, and by the grace of God he lived his dream by reaching the Premier League."
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A statement from @EnockMwepu45.
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— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) October 10, 2022
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“Unfortunately playing sport can make it worse and Enock has therefore been advised, as the only solution and for his own safety, to stop playing football,” the club added in their statement.
Author of three goals in 27 appearances with Brighton, Mwepu explained on Twitter to have "realized (his) dream by playing in the Premier League".
"However, some dreams come to an end and it is with sadness that I announce that I have to hang up my cleats because of the medical advice I have received", he continued, ensuring however "to remain involved under a form or another” in football.
"We are all absolutely appalled for Enock," said club chairman Tony Bloom, regretting to see "such a promising career come to an end at such a young age".
Mwepu's last game, arriving in Brighton in 2021 from Red Bull Salzburg, was the 5-2 win over Leicester in early September.
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