A charity leading calls for action in protecting sports players against neurodegenerative disease has identified ten points that must be taken to help change the future and in making sport a safer place.
Head for Change has established a prominent role in pioneering positive change for brain health in sport, as well as in supporting former players who are affected by neurodegenerative disease as a result of their professional sporting career in football or rugby.
With links between participation in sport and neurodegenerative disease continuing to grow, it was revealed last week that a number of former football players or their families have launched legal proceedings against rule-making body IFAB as well as the English and Welsh FAs over claims they failed to take action to protect players from permanent brain injury.
The footballers add to a group of over 300 former rugby union and league players who are taking action against the sport’s governing bodies for alleged negligence.
“Coroners have described sports-related dementia as an industrial disease,” said Head for Change.
“Having worked with many ex-players and families suffering from this industrial disease, Head for Change, a UK brain health charity committed to being part of the solution, recognises the concerns of families that have led to this legal action.
“This is a wake-up call for the sporting governing bodies to work together constructively to fulfil their duty of care to all retired, current and future players.
“It’s time to protect players, as well as the game.”
To help protect current and future players from potential future neurological consequences, Head for Change – which made global headlines for organising the world’s first header-free football matches – has identified ten actions that should be taken to help raise awareness, increase protection and improve care.
Emphasising the need for collaborative action, as well as education around brain injury for players of all levels and ages, greater protection for players and ongoing research, Head for Change has called for action to be taken in the following forms, to help bring about the change needed.
- Acceptance – Every sporting governing body should publicly acknowledge that research evidence demonstrates the link between repetitive head impact and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)
- Awareness – A multi-media campaign promoting the message ‘Heading harms your brain’ should target all stakeholders. Dementia is a devastating terminal disease – preventable cases are a tragedy
- Educate – Every stakeholder, from grassroots players to the Premier League, from youth coaches to sports scientists, should learn about the dangers of head impacts and CTE
- Reduce exposure – Head impacts in all training should be minimised, monitored and regulated, with particular reference to academies and foundations
- Experiment with the rules – Head impacts in matches should be reduced and monitored to minimise harm to players
- Implement – Concussion protocols should be fully implemented and temporary concussion substitutes should be introduced. A concussion ombudsman with specific knowledge is needed to provide independent expertise. Cumulative head impacts should be regulated
- Support – An industry wide independent fund should be established to provide financial support for players at every stage of their dementia journey, particularly including funding for full-time care
- Care – Dementia is a long and painful journey. Affected ex-players and their families should be provided with ongoing emotional, psychological and practical support.
- Research – Brain and other physical changes from repetitive head impacts should be the subject of independent, player centred, precautionary research which does not expose players to further harm. This research should then be used to guide the sport towards safer guidelines
- Mitigation – In vivo diagnosis, together with possible treatments and cures for CTE, should be the subject of urgent independent research in order to provide hope for ex-players who, following a career in football, have justifiable concerns about their future brain health.
