FOOTBALL’S DEMENTIA TIMEBOMB
Players three times more likely to die from it... worries over kids heading the ball
THE biggest study on footballers’ brain conditions found players are over three times more likely to die from dementia.
They also face a greater risk of Alzheimer’s, motor neurone disease and Parkinson’s.
Fears are growing for youngsters who head the ball and there are calls for a public inquiry.
Star Stan Bowles’ daughter Andria said: “This is the first step to ensuring the game recognises its responsibility to protect players.”
MANY more footballers could be at risk from dementia, 1966 World Cup hero George Cohen has warned.
As a study revealed former players have over three times the risk of dying from the condition, the England legend said it could be the “tip of the iceberg”.
He backed demands for a public inquiry and called for more help for former players.
George – whose 1966 teammates Martin Peters, Nobby Stiles and Ray Wilson all have dementia – told the Mirror: “I imagine there will be many more from that era. We had no idea, we were just doing our jobs and heading the ball.
“There are a lot of unanswered questions. This needs to be fully investigated.”
The FA-backed study led by brain specialist Dr Willie Stewart at Glasgow University tracked 7,600 ex-professionals and compared them to 23,000 similar individuals in the general population.
Dementia medications were prescribed five times as frequently to ex-players. The former stars were five times as likely to be killed by Alzheimer’s, with a four-fold increase in motor neurone deaths and double the risk of dying from Parkinson’s.
The study, which follows concerns that heading the ball causes lasting damage, sparked calls for stricter concussion protocols and a review of how matches and training could be safer. It will also cause concern for the parents of the estimated 3.4million children who play the game in England alone. And it will increase calls to
ban under-11s heading balls, as in the US. Labour MP Dr Paul Williams said: “No sportsman should have to risk their future health. We need a thorough inquiry to investigate why, and what needs to be done to mitigate this risk.”
Andria Bowles, whose QPR legend dad Stan has Alzheimer’s, said less famous players should not be forgotten.
She said: “What about those who played for lower league teams, who can’t rely on help from fans? It’s heartbreaking the game has not done more to help them. When you look at transfer fees and the millions handed over to ‘superagents’, I can’t understand why more money isn’t set aside to help former footballers who are suffering. Hopefully this research is the first step to ensuring the game recognises its responsibility to protect players from developing dementia and help those already suffering.”
The Mirror has highlighted the issue after ex-England striker Jeff Astle died of dementia aged 59 in 2002.
The West
Bromwich Albion legend’s inquest found heading heavy leather footballs repeatedly contributed to trauma to his brain. His daughter Dawn said of the new findings: “I’m staggered, even though my own research and instinct was always that there was a serious problem.
“We knew Dad couldn’t be the only one. The government should step in. When did football know? What did they do? There should be a full inquiry into what people knew.”
George said: “I agree with her, I would definitely support that.”
John Stiles, son of Nobby, said: “This is the first time there has been proper data [on this]. Hopefully the authorities will now do more to support former footballers and protect current players.”
George, who turns 80 today, said: “There should be regular, compulsory testing for players when they finish.”
The FA said: “The study does not determine whether the cause is due to concussions suffered by the group of professional footballers, or concussion management, or heading of the football, or style of play, or the design and composition of footballs over the years, or personal lifestyle, or some other factor.”
The study’s findings were reviewed by an independent Medical and Football Advisory Group, which said there was “not enough evidence at this stage to make other changes to the way the modern-day game is played”.
The FA and Professional Footballers Association will continue research.
IT is vital for the health of today’s and tomorrow’s footballers that more research is urgently carried out into the risks of heading the ball.
The huge study that finally revealed in cold, hard statistics the soaring rates of dementia among retired professional players compared with the general population left many questions. Among them was why heading balls over long periods puts players at risk.
It also shed no light on whether weekend kickabouts in the park pose a danger.
This study should have been commissioned much earlier but, now we have the terrifying statistics, the sport’s ruling bodies must start a national conversation about what to do.
Balls are lighter than the leather ones which contributed to West Brom star Jeff Astle’s death in 2002 but serious thought must still be given to whether heading is outlawed in matches involving the youngest boys and girls.
There are unlikely to be immediate answers, but an immediate debate is vital.