Gloucestershire’s Ben Wells announces sudden retirement due to a rare heart condition
Ben Wells, player of England’s County Championship team Gloucestershire, has announced retirement on May 1st due to a rare heart condition, confirmed by the club on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old’s rare heart condition turned out to be an arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) which was diagnosed in a routine check-up before the season began.
He wrote an open letter saying that he never thought he’d have to write something like this and as tough as it is for him the early diagnosis has probably saved his life.
He thanked the doctors that have probably saved his life and diagnosed it so early.
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He was saddened by the fact that his cricket career had taken him down this path but he’s still grateful and proud that he had the chance to live out his dream even for a few years. He added that he will proudly call himself as once a professional cricketer.
His club released a statement saying that everyone at Gloucestershire is devasted with the news of Ben who could have had a bright future but they are grateful to both the club’s medical staff and those who helped in diagnosing Ben’s heart condition at the earliest opportunity.
They added that the club and the PCA are with Ben and supporting him in what is a hard time for him and his family.
Ben Wells has been taken down by the same disease James Taylor suffered with and announced his retirement at only 26 years old.
