FOOTBALL’S TIMEBOMB I knew of old players, legends, suffering from dementia. The more I read about it the more I realised it couldn’t be ignored
STAR’S ILLNESS FEARS England ace has tests for documentary
Graeme Donohoe Former England striker Alan Shearer has had tests after meeting dementia scientists in Scotland.
The former Blackburn and Newcastle star travelled north while filming a BBC documentary looking at the brain disease’s links to football.
The Sunday Mai l has been highlighting the alarming number of ex-footballers, including Lisbon Lion skipper Billy McNeill and former Rangers hero Jimmy Millar, who are suffering from the condition.
Shearer – the English Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer – met experts at Stirling University as he investigates whether heading the ball has left him more at risk of Ch ron i c Tr a u mat i c Encephalopathy (CTE), a form of dementia linked to boxing.
A university team – guided by neurologist Dr Willie Stewart – produced a study in October which found heading a modern-day ball just 20 times causes brain impairment.
Shearer, 46, had a cuttingedge medical screening including bio marker blood tests and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to investigate how his 18-year career has affected his brain.
Shearer scored 46 of his 260 goals from headers – a headed goals record only recently surpassed byy Stoke striker Peter Crouch.
The Match of the Day pundit wanted to launch his own investigation after watching Hollywood film Concussion, which examined l inks between NFL players and dementia.
He said: “It was a very interesting day undergoing tests at Stirling University for my dementia documentary onn the effects of heading the balll on the brain.
“After seeing Concussion, I was intrigued. I was aware off former football players, legendsds who I grew up watching,g, suffering from dementia.
“Could this affect football andnd footballers too? The more I readad about it, the more I felt this wasas a subject that could no longerer be ignored.”
The programme, Dementiatia – Football’s Silent Shame, will be screened on the BBC this year.ar.
Stirling University said: “It was great to welcome football legendend Alan Shearer to campus, speaking with academics to understand research linking footbal l and dementia.”
The move by someone as highprofile as Shearer to shine a light on the issue was welcomed by campaigners.
Ex- Celtic star Chris Sutton – Shearer’s former Blackburn teammate as part of the famous SAS titlewinning strike force – hopes his friend will add to pressure on the football authorities to recognise the problem.
Sut ton – whose ex- Norwich footballer dad Mike, 72, has dementia – said: “It ’ s good someone as high-profile as Alan is doing this and helping give people an understanding of what this illness is like. This is welcome news and I just hope it leads to a better understanding and more effort to try to get to the bottom of this.
“There’s been a lot of talk by the PFA and the FA but very little action.
“I’m still extremely sceptical of how much the PFA are going to put into this but documentaries like this can only help to keep the pressure on.”
Sutton added: “I see Alan now and again. I’m pleased he and the BBC are raising awareness of this illness because there are thousands of people who are sufferers, including lots of ex-footballers, and we need answers.”
The Sunday Mail last week added Rangers legend Millar’s name to the growing list of ex-players affected by football’s ticking timebomb.
His daughter Elaine Smith said: “I’m pleased to hear Alan Shearer is taking this issue on. He is someone who is respected by people at the top of the game so it’s great news he’s doing this.
“It’s obviously too late for ex-players like my dad but hopefully Alan’s documentary can make people sit up and take notice so future generations don’t have to go through this.”