Long-term Effects of COVID-19 in Athletes COVID-19, although commonly associated with complications to the respiratory system, is increasingly understood to exert a significant impact on the heart and cardiovascular system. Cardiac abnormality including myocarditis has been shown in a large proportion of patients hospitalized for COVID-19. Given that myocarditis is associated with sudden mortality in athletes, attention has turned to the risk of myocarditis following COVID-19 in athletic and highly active people. Researchers are seeking to establish the effectiveness of cardiac evaluation in stratifying athletes post-COVID-19 infection for fitness to return to training. Image Credit: sportpoint / Shutterstock.com COVID-19 and cardiac complications