‘YOUNGSTERS UNLIKELY TO BE PUT OFF’

PFA calls for medical shake up after two-year study into dementia in football

PLAYERS’ UNION boss Bobby Barnes has called for independent doctors to be on duty at every match to help concussion injuries.

It comes after a shock report into brain damage showed that former footballers are 3.5 times more likely to die from dementia.

But experts from Glasgow University, who carried out the 22month study, could not prove whether it was down to heading the ball – or concussion.

Barnes, deputy chief executive of the PFA, has now supported calls for decisions to be taken out of the hands of club doctors, who could feel under pressure to try and get players to carry on even after suffering concussion.

Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen (inset, below) suffered a horror head injury in the Champions League semi-final against Ajax in April. He was allowed to briefly play on after being checked by a club doctor.

Vertonghen then vomited on the side of the pitch (right) and had to be helped to the dressing room. However, Spurs later insisted he had not suffered concussion.

Barnes, a former West Ham winger, who played in the 1980s and ’90s, said: “I don’t want to criticise any particular football club.

“But it perhaps reinforces some of the things we are saying about independent arbitrators of these decisions, because sometimes it’s a very difficult decision for a club doctor. There are the pressures that he will have from the management of his football club.

“My own personal view is that it would be good to support those club medics by taking that decision out of their hands and actually leaving it for an independent person to decide.

“I would have independent doctors, and I know that is within the FIFPro recommendations along with TV playback.

“We are looking for an overall solution, but the key is using the technology to get the best possible solution and make it the safest workplace we can.

“We had a campaign a while ago – Don’t Be A Hero – because sometimes players would be knocked out, try and continue and sometimes you have to be the one that makes a decision and takes the decision out of their hands.”

Both the PFA and FA have said they would support ‘concussion substitutes’ which would allow a temporary replacement to come on and play while doctors assessed injuries.

The research studied 7,676 pre- and post-war players in Scotland – and 222 had died from dementia.

Research shows that today’s players head the ball significantly less.

Modern balls retain less water than old-fashioned leather footballs and so they do not feel the need to ban headers youth football.

Barnes added: “There is postmortem brain donation and I can confirm that there are former players who have already agreed to do this.

“But if you were to ask me whether this study would have an impact on my desire to be a professional footballer, I was certainly privileged to play a sport I love – and I’d be surprised if it deterred young players from going into the game.” in

FROM BACK PAGE to die from dementia. “When you talk about the boxing analogy, sadly they do tend to examine after the event,” he said.

“I’ve been impacted by these results because I was born in 1962.

“But I’d be surprised if the report deterred young players from going into the game.” Dawn

are former players who have already agreed to do this. In fact, it includes our own staff within the PFA.” Ex-West Ham winger Barnes said they wanted to help future studies after shock research showed former players are 3.5 times more likely Astle, daughter of former England and West Brom striker Jeff, who died of dementia in 2002, has been highly critical of the PFA for not offering more support. The research studied 7,676 pre- and post-war players in Scotland and 222 had died from dementia.