Sudden cardiac death in a young athlete is a tragic and marking event, even 
though the media attention it gets is more important than its incidence 
(1-2/100000 per year). The main etiology is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, 
followed by coronary artery anomalies. Sometimes signs of myocarditis are found 
at autopsy. The pre-participation examination recommandations ask for oriented 
history and physical examination, routine EKG being controversial. A systematic 
screening program in Italy has reduced the occurrence of such deaths, which 
statistics are non-existant in Switzerland. It would be appropriate to implement 
a standardized pre-participation examination, as well as to make sure that the 
trainers, teachers and athletes themselves are able to recognize the frequent 
warning symptoms.