- orlandosentinel.com/health/os-ncaa-sickle-cell-trait-0725-20110725,0,3119140.story
- orlandosentinel.com/news/local/os-mark-richt-david-sickle-cell-trait20110725,0,5893674.story
Provide names of other journalists involved.
Iliana Limon, Rachel George, Shannon J. Owens and Coley Harvey.
List date(s) this work was published or aired.
July 24, 25 and 26, 2011.
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
Our stories documented the extent of the sickle-cell trait problem in sports; explored the lack of sickle-cell trait education, even among those who carry the trait; showed how college football culture leads to deaths related to sickle-cell trait; and examined the opposition to sickle-cell trait testing.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
Much of our information came from court documents in cases involving athletes whose deaths were attributed to complications from sickle-cell trait. We also used a national registry of sudden deaths.
Explain types of human sources used.
A majority of our human sources were doctors and athletic trainers, along with athletes who have sickle-cell trait. We also interviewed current and former football coaches.
Results:
Although the series was well read, and we received positive feedback from readers, two specific things have made us believe it was worthwhile. The first was last fall, when a trainer at a Division I college used our stories to lobby the NCAA to consider mandatory testing for sickle-cell trait for all Division II athletes. A proposal on that is scheduled for a vote during the 2012 NCAA Convention. The second occurred earlier this year, when we came across another news organization’s story about a high school basketball player with sickle-cell trait. The story said the player had learned that he had the trait after reading our coverage and realized that he was experiencing symptoms. He was tested, learned that he did, indeed, have sickle-cell trait and took steps to deal with it while still participating in sports. It’s worth noting that the player lives in a city more than 100 miles away from us.
Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
No.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
Explore all sides of the issue. Although sickle-cell trait is blamed for more and more deaths every year, especially in connection to football, there are people out there who honestly believe that it shouldn’t be tested for.