Written by The last few weeks have been extremely interesting in the sports world: The Olympic Games recently wrapped up with the Paralympic Games kicking off in a few weeks, Simone Biles brought athlete mental and emotional health back to the forefront, Olympian and Belarusian sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya was fearful to return to her country and was almost forced on a plane, and Lionel Messi left the only professional team that he knew to join Paris Saint-Germain. However, last month an Atlanta area grand jury indicted two coaches for second degree murder, second degree cruelty, cruelty to children, involuntary manslaughter, and reckless conduct for an athlete’s death, during practice, in 2019. This news will most likely not be highly followed on a national or international level but is immensely important.
Imani Bell, a high school basketball player was forced to participate in unnecessary and intense drills in excessive and dangerous heat with her teammates. The heat index during practice was over 106 degrees Fahrenheit while the school district and Georgia High School Association policies both stated that all outside athletic activities would be suspended if the heat index reaches 95 degrees. By the end of practice, Imani Bell collapsed and later died. While it may not have been the intention of the coaches for athletes to be seriously injured or die, it happened.
I understand how a coach wants to get their athletes practicing and competing, especially after long absences due to the pandemic, but is really worth an athlete’s safety or mental, physical, or emotional health? Is it worth their lives? Were the risks of training in dangerous conditions and breaking rules worth the reward?
Imani Bell’s coaches were reckless and abusive. This statement may come out as harsh, but the coaches made a conscious choice to break and flat out ignore the school, district, and state rules to protect athletes, which resulted in her death. The coaches, Imani’s family, and her friends and teammates will all have to live with these coaches’ decisions.
And if the coaches being charged by the grand jury seems excessive, imagine if what happened to Imani, happened to your child.