Doctors find cardiac anomaly in Vakatawa

French midfielder Virimi Vakatawa has explained that a cardiac anomaly is why he must suddenly quit playing rugby.

The world of rugby was left in shock when it emerged that the 32-cap centre had been banned from playing by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby’s medical committee in France.

Vakatawa says he did not feel any symptoms or anything and have had a discussion with his doctor.

Thanks my Kai 🙏🏾❤️ https://t.co/nZ7RbH1Q66

— Virimi Vakatawa (@vvakatawa) September 6, 2022

He adds that he have nothing broken and everything is fine.

The 30 year old says he will stay not far from his former club just to clear his mind from this shocking news.

Meanwhile Racing 92 Doctor, Sylvain Blanchard, says that the heart condition was too much of a risk for Vakatawa to continue playing.

🙏🏾🇫🇷✊🏿 https://t.co/4IkfJdQA77

— Virimi Vakatawa (@vvakatawa) September 6, 2022

Dr Blanchard adds that Vakatawa must stop his career in France for cardiological reasons. A cardiac anomaly had been detected before the 2019 World Cup in Japan. This anomaly, which is not linked to rugby, has been monitored but it is an evolving pathology where the risk has become too great.

Laurent Travers, the Racing director of rugby, says that the hardest thing is the length of time they had to wait and the hardest part was announcing it to Virimi and then to the whole group.

The media briefing shocked the rugby world that even France national team boss Fabien Galthie turned up in person at the conference to pay tribute to the now-retired midfielder.