MASON: HEADING’S SO RISKY IT MIGHT BE STOPPED IN 10 YEARS

RYAN MASON says he would not be surprised if heading the ball is no longer part of the game within 10 years, amid what he described as the shocking results of research into its impact. Former Tottenham and Hull midfielder Mason was forced to retire after fracturing his skull in 2017 following a sickening clash of heads with Chelsea’s Gary Cahill at Stamford Bridge. Dr Willie Stewart’s FIELD study has shown that footballers are three and a half times more likely to die of a neurodegenerative disease than the general population. Sportsmail is continuing to campaign for a restriction on heading in training sessions, and Mason said: ‘It wouldn’t surprise me in 10 to 15 years if heading wasn’t involved in the game. ‘The research and the momentum it’s getting, I think it’s probably going to open up a lot more stuff that becomes quite shocking. I’m not sure footballers are fully aware of the potential damage. This is where the more research, the more education current players get, the better.’ The PFA have also joined Sportsmail in calling for heading in training to be reduced. As part of our seven-point campaign, we suggested a maximum of 20 headers per session, and a minimum of 48 hours between sessions. Speaking to the BBC, 29-year-old Mason added: ‘It might even get to a point where you might need to sign something to say that I’m OK (playing with the risk). ‘The problem we have is you don’t know the effects until you get later on in life.’ Mason’s comments come after a group of former footballers, managers and politicians had taken Sportsmail’s campaign to Parliament. In letters sent to the Prime Minister and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, former England stars Peter Reid and Viv Anderson were among signatories calling for an urgent review into the possible link between heading a ball and neurodegenerative diseases.