Ethics is a field that heavily details and forces one to reason out between what is right and what is wrong. In truth, almost everyone faces an ethical dilemma during some time in their life. However, it is prudent to note that there are some individuals who face both acute and frequent dilemmas as a result of either their location and/or occupation. Since physicians often handle matters that entail life or death from time to time it follows that ethical dilemmas are of the norm in their line of work. Although rarely recognized sports physicians face this challenge as well. For example, taking the case of Hank Gathers’ death is often blamed on the team doctors’ passive attitude towards the case. So as to understand the ethics behind dilemmas in sport, the case of Hank Gathers’ will be evaluated throughout this paper.
Hank Gathers’ was a member of the Loyola Marymount University basketball team. Gathers was no ordinary player as he became the second person in the history of NCAA Division 1 to lead in both points scored and rebounds within one season. Most likely Gathers would have been a future NBA star gaining both the fame and financial success that come with it. However, all of his potential was cut short when he collapsed midgame and was subsequently pronounced dead on March 4, 1990, at a nearby hospital. It is important to highlight that this was not the first time Hank Gathers had collapsed during a match. One year earlier Gathers had collapsed during a game against UC Santa Barbara which led to him being granted medication after being diagnosed with a heart condition (Altman, 1990). Moreover, according to Munnings, a conference of cardiologists had proclaimed four years prior that cardiomyopathy should not play competitive sport; the disorder that Hank apparently died of (1990).
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There were primarily three parties that either had or could have had a direct impact on Gathers’ situation. These parties are the doctors that diagnosed him with a heart condition, the college basketball team staff and Hank Gathers himself. A lot could have been done to safeguard Gathers’ life albeit with heavy consequences. To begin with, Hank Gathers experienced a huge red flag regarding his basketball career when he collapsed in 1989. The doctor(s) in charge of him found him to have had an abnormal heartbeat and placed him under medical care (Munnings, 1990).
It is believed that the doctors only granted him the medication and explained his diagnosis. The doctors’ could have blatantly explained to Gathers that his situation was a matter of life or death if he continued playing. However, what more could have they done had Gathers not heeded their words. This is where the ethical dilemma comes into play. Should they have filed a formal complaint against the school that it was endangering the life of Gathers by letting him play? Nonetheless, Herbert concludes that such an action would have been consequential in that the doctors would have indirectly abused the privacy of their patient which is deemed as unethical in the medical world (1990).
Moreover, it is safe to assume that following the 1989 incident the basketball staff was aware of the peril that Gathers was in. Following the death of Gathers the school publicly stated that although they were saddened by the death of Gathers they were not aware of his heart condition. Altman points out that after Gathers’ diagnosis, he was granted medication of which the coach associated them with Gathers’ dip in form (1990). It follows that Gathers stopped taking the requirement of his dosage so as to play better. Importantly, the coach, as well as the team's physician, should have stopped playing Gathers or at the very least advise him to take further diagnosis of his condition so as to ascertain that it was not life-threatening; which is the job of any good coach or manager (Thornton, Champion Jr, Ruddell, & Ruddell, 2011). Nonetheless, this would have been the equivalent of the school as well as the team letting go of their best asset that was Hank Gathers.
At the end of it all, no matter what path had the other parties taken the final decision would have come from Gathers himself. Gathers primarily was placed in a really acute dilemma; he could have quit competitive basketball and all the benefits that came with it or risk his life and have the chance of making it as a NBA superstar. The consequences of any of his actions were clear, however, it is important to assume that he may have been under pressure or he was not fully knowledgeable on the gravity of his condition (Munnings, 1990).
Personally, I believe that Hank Gathers should have not continued playing competitive basketball or at the very least he should have put his career on hold as he sought the help of professionals. This implicates that all parties involved, from the coach to the doctors, should have made it their obligation to assess and subsequently explain it to Gathers. There are a variety of factors that influence my perspective. For one, the life of Hank Gathers was in jeopardy as such this was no simple dilemma. Moreover, Gathers putting his career on hold was the best decision for not only himself but also the people involved in the case. This is because his death led to unexplainable suffering to his family, heavy scrutiny and criticism of both his college and the medical practitioners who administered him. I acknowledge that my judgment comes from utilitarianism and thus consequentialist ethics. All in all, a lot could have been done and a lot was done, however, sadly a lot of that effort was not directed at safeguarding Gathers’ life.
References
Altman, K. (1990). Suit Calls Coach and Doctors Negligent in Gathers's Death. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/21/sports/suit-calls-coach-and-doctors-negligent-in-gathers-s-death.html
Herbert, D. L. (1990). The death of Hank Gathers: An examination of the legal issues. Sports Medicine Standards and Malpractice Reporter , 2 (3), 45-46.
Munnings, F. (1990). The death of Hank Gathers: A legacy of confusion. The Physician and sports medicine , 18 (5), 97-102.
Thornton, P. K., Champion Jr, W. T., Ruddell, L. S., & Ruddell, L. (2011). Sports ethics for sports management professionals. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
