Headers link to Hull star’s death probed by a coroner
A VETERAN footballer’s death is being probed by a coroner over fears that his heading of heavy balls caused an industrial fatality from his professional football career.
Wales, Everton and Hull City star Alan Jarvis, 76, died after a long battle with a rare form of dementia possibly linked to brain damage.
The midfielder, who played for Wales against England’s 1966 World Cup winning squad, had health problems later including loss of speech.
Coroner John Gittins will investigate if his long playing career had a part in his death.
Dr Willie Stewart, who is studying possible links between heading a ball and brain damage, examined it in January and passed his report to the coroner.
Daughter Sarah Jarvis, of Northop, Flintshire, said the family had his brain donated to researchers at the University of Glasgow to investigate if heading harmed his health.
Miss Jarvis said she was pleased heading has been banned for children under 12 during training – but hopes alterations in the adult game might not be necessary.
She added: “My family loves watching football, so it’s nothing I would want to change, it’s more awareness.
“The only thing I want to come out of it, is to look after these players.
“I know the football was heavy back then. Now it’s lighter and faster, but who’s to say there’s not still going to be the same amount of people coming through with dementia.”
Jarvis, who died in December, was in the Wales team between 1966 and 1967. But he is best known for playing for Hull between 1964 and 1970.
He was a resident at a nursing home in Mold and had been suffering from dementia.
In 2014, he was diagnosed with an unknown form of the illness, with his family suspecting that he was suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is associated with repeated head blows.
Many scientists and ex-players believe the condition can be brought on by heading the ball.
Dr Stewart’s research featured in the 2018 BBC documentary Alan Shearer: Dementia, Football and Me.
In 2019, a study Dr Stewart led found former professional footballers were three-and-a-half times more likely to die of dementia than people of the same age in the general population.
It began after England and West Bromwich Albion striker Jeff Astle died at 59 from head trauma but there is no absolute proof that heading causes dementia.
Football authorities say more research is needed.
Mr Gittins adjourned his inquest at Ruthin, North Wales, for investigations into a suspicions Mr Jarvis’ condition could be regarded as an industrial death because he headed the ball as part of his work.
He said Mr Jarvis’ death and a possible link to heading a football would be explored further at a full hearing.