KIDS HEADER BAN FA lays down guidelines amid fears of dementia link in game
Heading ball
PRIMARY school children in the UK have been banned from heading in football training.
New Football Association guidelines rule out drills at age 11 and under, while there are graduated limits for 12 to 16-year-olds. These apply to schools, clubs and academies.
Dementia campaigners praised the move after a study found professional players are threeand-a-half times more likely to die of neurodegenerative diseases, than the general population.
Dawn Astle, who wants a public inquiry on dementia in the game, said the limits are “sensible”.
Her dad, ex-england and West Bromwich Albion striker Jeff, died of dementia in 2002, at 59.
An inquest found heading balls repeatedly in his career contributed to his death.
Dawn, 51, said: “We must take early steps to avoid exposing children’s brains to risk of trauma.” But she wants limits for over-18s too, adding: “I always believed my dad’s problems and what ended up killing him was the heading in training.”
The restrictions, effective now in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, are not mandatory but most follow bodies guidelines.
They do not ban heading in matches but players aged 11 and under will not head in training. Under-12s can do one session a month, with up to five headers.
This rises to one session a week for under-13s, with up to five headers, while under-14s, 15s and 16s get 10 headers a week.
Dr Carol Routledge, of Alzheimer’s UK, said: “We need to see more research to unpick any link between football and dementia.
“Until then making sure the nation’s best-loved game is played as safely as possible is sensible.”