Tinfoil hat wearers are going to be disappointed by the findings of the San Francisco 49ers’ latest investigation.
The Niners recently looked into a conspiracy theory centered on an electrical substation located next to the team’s practice facility at Levi’s Stadium, which was supposedly to blame for San Francisco’s injury-plagued season. The conspiracy being peddled online claimed that the electrical exposure was weakening the team’s soft tissue and muscles, leading to an increase in team injuries.
49ers general manager John Lynch said in January that the team was planning on looking into the theory. Lynch spoke on the investigation the team had conducted over the past couple of months, asserting that the electrical substation conspiracy was complete baloney.
“It basically was a big nothing burger,” Lynch said, via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. “We’re in a safe place of work. … It’s a normal place of work. It’s a normal gym. We are safe, we’re healthy, and we feel really good about that.
“That was important to us, not just to turn a blind eye, but to look into it because it’s our players’ wellness. It’s not only our players’ wellness, it’s coaches, it’s staff, all that. And it’s encouraging.”
Per Lynch, the 49ers hired an independent scientist with “over 45 years of experience studying electromagnetic fields and their effects” to look into the matter. The scientist’s findings concluded that the team’s exposure in the facility was “400 times below the threshold” of what would be considered unsafe.
The exposure levels were said to be similar to those in any typical workplace or commercial gym, with everyday appliances such as vacuum cleaners and microwave ovens having a worse impact.
The 49ers at least deserve some kudos for doing their due diligence on the electrical substation conspiracy. It shows the franchise takes its players’ health seriously enough to investigate what sounded like an otherwise ridiculous claim.
