Footballers in their 40s suing FA over brain injuries

Three Premier League stars are among 25 former players suing the FA for damages on the grounds that they failed to protect them from suffering brain injuries.

Mail Sport revealed last year that the group, which also includes two former eFL players who are suffering from earlyonset dementia in their 40s, had issued a letter of claim and the first high Court hearing is due to take place next month.

The group are mainly in their 60s and 70s as dementia generally presents later in footballers than rugby players, but some are considerably younger. It is understood that the three former Premier League players are in their early 50s, and the two in their 40s who played in the eFL showed initial symptoms of brain injuries in their 30s.

The claimants have chosen to remain anonymous, but that may change when the initial hearing takes place at the high Court on January 16. In addition to the FA, the FA of Wales and football’s law-making body IFAB are also being sued.

All of the players claiming compensation are suffering from irreversible neurological impairments such as CTe (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) and post- concussion syndrome. The potential vulnerability of younger players to brain injury was highlighted last year when former Major League Soccer player Scott Vermillion was diagnosed with CTe following his death at the age of 44.

The claim follows legal action launched by former players from rugby union and rugby league. A high Court hearing on behalf of the union cohort last week led to the revelation that england’s 2003 World Cup winners Phil Vickery and Mark regan, and former Wales star Gavin henson were among 226 new claimants, taking the overall number above 300.