3 hospitalized Iowa players quit the team

IOWA CITY, Iowa — A University of Iowa report says three of the 13 football players hospitalized after intense weight-lifting workouts in January have quit the team.

A committee appointed by President Sally Mason says one injured player who was a walk-on quit before spring practice to concentrate on academics. A second who was on scholarship completed spring practices but left Iowa for unrelated personal reasons.

A third player quit before spring practice, considered transferring and then stayed at Iowa but decided not to play football. The report does not identify the players, who were hospitalized for several days with a muscle disorder that caused discolored urine and extreme soreness.

The report says all 13 appear to have completely recovered and it’s considered unlikely they will develop long-term problems.