Vikings Not Cited in Player’s Death

Health officials in Minnesota said Thursday no citations will be issued against the Vikings in the heatstroke-related death of tackle Korey Stringer in August.

Investigators for the state’s Department of Labor and Industry said the team provided sufficient training about the hazards of heat, and that the temperature and humidity on July 31--when Stringer collapsed--were not high enough to justify cutting practice short. The heat index was 99 in Mankato, Minn., when Stringer sought a trainer’s help, according to the report.

“It was a very comprehensive investigation that confirmed our beliefs that we run an exemplary camp with player safety foremost in our minds,” Viking Vice President Mike Kelly said in a written statement. “We continue to re-examine how we operate at training camp and welcome any OSHA suggestions of how to make our camp safer.”

Stringer’s agent, James Gould, has retained an attorney to look into whether the team was negligent in the death of his client.