England star: Heading ball gave me dementia
Agony of women’s footie pioneer
Sue Lopez training in 1974
A PIONEERING England women’s footballer has blamed her dementia on heading the ball as a child and called for it to be banned for under-12s.
Sue Lopez, 74, played for England between 1969 and 1979 and was diagnosed with the disease in 2018.
Sue said: “I think my dementia has been caused by the heading of a football.
“Anything to do with football now, I think, ‘I hope people are being more careful now and not
Southampton for her whole career, apart from a season with Roma in Italy’s Seria A in 1971. Since retiring from playing she has worked as a coach, administrator and writer. A campaign, spearheaded by Dawn Astle, daughter of West Bromwich Albion star Jeff Astle, is calling for an urgent public inquiry into dementia in football. Former England international letting young kids head the ball’.” The ex-pro says memories of her glory days on the pitch have evaporated and she cannot even remember who awarded her an MBE for services to women’s football in 2000.
Sue was the first
British woman to play semi-professionally abroad and represented England 22 times during a career spanning three decades. She played for WARNING Lopez
He finds Duffy unconscious Astle died aged 59 in 2002, and an inquest found heading heavy leather footballs had contributed to brain trauma.
Dawn said of Sue: “She is dignified and very brave to speak out.”
A study commissioned by the FA last year found former footballers were three times more likely to die of dementia.
FA chairman Greg Clarke said at the time: “It is important that the global football family now unites to find the answers and provide a greater understanding.”