Mysterious Illness Strikes Oklahoma Football Players, Teens Begin Passing Out On Field

Six Oklahoma football players came down with a mysterious illness during a high school football game. The players allegedly began passing out and three were taken from the game by ambulance. The Owasso Rams Athletic Director, Zach Duffield, claims that six players came down with the mysterious illness while at an away game and were rushed to the hospital for medical care.

KTUL reports that the Owasso Rams were playing against a team in Mustang, Oklahoma, when the players began passing out on the field. The Owasso Athletic Director, Zach Duffield, claimed that doctors chalked it up to “severe dehydration” but that the diagnosis “didn’t make sense” as it was the middle of the season and the players were drinking water. Duffield noted that 170-people were fed and given drinks on the ride to the football game, including parents and cheerleaders. However, it was only the players that got sick. Therefore, the meal on the bus ride was not a likely culprit for the mystery illness.

The athletic director says that everything has been considered in the mystery illness and that all tests have come back “clear.” Therefore, it seems to remain a mystery as to why six of the players would suddenly fall ill with dehydration in the middle of the game despite drinking water.

“We have considered everything. We have checked with vendors, our suppliers. We have had them run tests. We have asked mustang to run tests on their water in the locker room. We don’t want this to happen again, to any kid.”

It was also noted that the Owasso Rams had accidentally left their personal water bottles, so used bottles were provided by the Mustang team at the game. They also reportedly drank water from a hydrant on the sideline during the game.

Duffield notes that all the players are well now but that the phone call he had to make to the players’ parents were difficult.

“The worst phone call I can make is to someone tell them their child is an ambulance and headed to the hospital.”

Many commenting on the strange case are asking about possible arsenic in the water, as the City of Mustang has been cited for exceptionally high levels of arsenic in the past. In fact, the most recent citation occurred in March of 2014 which caused the city to shutdown its water wells that produced the highest levels of arsenic. However, the Mustang City Manager Tim Rooney noted that the levels were not a cause for concern as they were barely over the notification level.

“Our amounts are not high. They are barely above what is considered the notification limits.”

Though Rooney says arsenic is not a likely culprit, he notes that the crews are taking readings every day and are staying on top of the situation. He notes that Mustang is even considering buying “an arsenic removal system that removes the arsenic at the well site, rather than continuing to buy extra water from Oklahoma City. ”

Despite assurance from officials that the tests came back “clear” for substances that could have caused the dehydration or a mystery illness, many Owasso parents are still seeking answers. Meanwhile, others point to energy drink consumption before the game, or K2, as possible reasons for the sick players. However, the parents say that there is no way the kids would have taken K2 before the game and that that is not how “their boys” act. Though energy drinks are consumed by players, the parents and athletic directors find the sickening of multiple players at the same time very unusual.

What do you think of the mystery illness that stuck down six Oklahoma football players? Do you think arsenic in the water could be to blame?