‘Iinconclusive’
CFL commissioner says not enough evidence to link concussions and CTE
The CFL may have a new commissioner but the league’s position on whether football head injuries are linked to brain disease hasn’t changed: there isn’t enough evidence to confirm the connection.
Commissioner Randy Ambrosie, a former CFL offensive lineman who replaced Jeffrey Orridge at the helm earlier this year, delivered the message at Friday’s annual state-of-theleague news conference more gently than his predecessor, but he maintained the stance that the science isn’t convincing.
“We know there are football players that have had CTE,’’ said Ambrosie. “It’s a terrible thing, that we’re not going to dispute.
“We have to follow the science and the science . . . is inconclusive. The cause and effect is unclear, it just simply is.’’
It’s not a position the NFL shares.
In March 2016, Jeff Miller, the NFL’s top health and safety officer, acknowledged the link during a discussion on concussions convened by the U.S. Congress. It marked the first time a senior league official conceded football’s connection to chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.
But during Grey Cup week last November, Orridge bluntly stated “there’s no conclusive evidence at this point.’’ The CFL has been named in a $200-million class-action lawsuit over concussions and brain trauma.
“I have the greatest respect for our colleagues in the NFL . . . but my answer is not going to be that somebody else did it so we’re going to do it to,’’ Ambrosie said. “Mine will be we’re going to keep looking at all of these sources of data and try to be part of solution and ultimately come to a point where we understand it better.’’
The strongest scientific evidence says CTE can only be diagnosed by examining brains after death, although some researchers are experimenting with tests performed on the living. Former CFL receiver Ken Evraire and Montreal Alouettes linebacker Kyries Hebert have joined the growing ranks of players to donate their brains for research.
While he hasn’t seen enough evidence to be convinced concussions can lead to CTE, Ambrosie said he remains committed to making the game “better and safer for our players.’’
Nik Lewis, the Montreal Alouettes slotback and the CFL’s all-time receptions leader, attended Friday’s news conference and cast serious doubt football could be made safer.
“I believe we talk about a word, concussion, way too much and not about brain health,’’ Lewis said. “When will we stop selling safe when we know there’s nothing we can do to make the game safe?
“When will we start educating our players on brain health and rehab of the brain?’’
Ambrosie replied: “What I can say is if we can do more on education we will . . . Can we do more to educate the players? I’m sure we can.’’
Ambrosie maintained he wasn’t being “blind to one side of the argument versus the other.’’