Penn State has issued a response to the Sports Illustrated story detailing questionable practices related to medical care for football players, calling the report “erroneous.” Here is the official statement from the university, in full:
Penn State disputes Sports Illustrated story on medical care
The University has issued a response to the Sports Illustrated story about medical care for football players, calling the accusations “erroneous.”
USA TODAY Sports
"To characterize the medical care Penn State provides our student-athletes as anything other than the highest quality is erroneous. Access to urgent and quality care for our athletes is no less than where it was at any point in the past 20 years. We provided Sports Illustrated with facts and data that demonstrate our commitment to our student athletes and how we compare to other peer institutions. Instead, the article sensationalizes in order to insinuate lower standards and largely ignores statements from the Dean of the College of Medicine.Contrary to the reporter's assertions, Dr. Sebastianelli remains the doctor in charge of the University's entire medical program for intercollegiate athletics, including football. Further, there has been no change in the support provided by State College-based Penn State orthopedic surgeons, including Dr. Sebastianelli."
The SI story calls into question the medical care that football players have received over the past year. The longtime head physician for the team, Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli, was let go from his position in charge of the football team, but he remains the head of Penn State’s medical program. Access to an orthopedic surgeon, which was available every day through Sebastianelli, is now only available once a week through Dr. Scott Lynch, who lives in Hershey, which is roughly two hours away from State College. Athletic trainer Tim Bream, who is not licensed to practice medicine or give prescriptions, has reportedly done so, although such practices are supposedly not uncommon across major college sports.
More than anything else, the report reflects poorly on athletic director David Joyner, and makes it appear that he used his power as AD to get Sebastianelli, a long time personal rival, removed from the football program.
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