York College Wrestlers Are 0-3 Against Herpes

When I get herpes I want it to be from a traditional source like a bathroom doorknob or Paris Hilton, not a college wrestler. And certainly not a college wrestler from a division III school. No offense to York College of Pennsylvania, which has a prestigious wrestling program, and also sells "York College Football" sweatshirts in its bookstore, even though the school has never had a football program (this is true). Three former York College wrestlers sued the college recently, claiming they contracted herpes from a teammate while on the wrestling team. In their civil lawsuit for negligence in Philadelphia County Court, the three claim that they were "forced to grapple" with another infected wrestler.

The three men claim that, in October 2006, one of their teammates developed Herpes Simplex Virus I lesions on his skin and was not allowed to practice for three days. When he returned to practice, Cooke bandaged the wrestler's lesions, according to court documents. For the next several weeks, other wrestlers developed similar lesions, and all "continued to engage in full-contact practice with bandages over their lesions," according to court documents.

To which I say, is Herpes Simplex Virus I not a small enough price to pay for a conference wrestling championship? The painful itching, swollen lymph glands and inflamed blisters around the infected area will fade in time, but that trophy will last forever. Go Spartans! Wrestlers File Suit Against York College Over Herpes [The York Dispatch]