FA ‘aware of brain injury risk’ for years
Liam McBurney/PA Wire
THE Football Association “was always fully aware” of the risk of concussion and brain injury to players as early as the 1980s, but failed to take steps to improve safety, the High Court has been told.
Lawyers representing several former footballers and their families have said in court documents that minutes from an FA committee meeting in 1983 “indicate” that it knew of the risk posed by head injuries, “but failed to take action to reduce the risk of players to the lowest reasonable level”.
Ten former professional footballers – and the families of a further seven who have died – are suing the FA, the Football Association of Wales (FAW), the English Football League (EFL) and the sport’s law-making body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB).
They include the family of former England midfielder and 1966 World Cup winner, Norbert “Nobby” Stiles, who died in 2020 after suffering from dementia.
Mr Stiles was found to have chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a progressive brain condition caused by repeated blows to the head.
In the documents, seen by the PA news agency, barristers have claimed that the four governing bodies were
“negligent and in breach of their duty of care” owed to the ex-players, who “suffered permanent long-term neurological injuries” as a result.
Susan Rodway KC, representing the former players, said: “At all material times the defendants knew, or ought reasonably to have known, of the likelihood of brain injuries, including longterm neurological injuries, due to the cumulative effect of repeated concussive and sub-concussive injuries to the brain occurring in the sport of football.”
A hearing in the case is expected later this year, with the court being told in January that up to 75 players could eventually be involved.
The court documents state that the claimants suffered injuries “due to cumulative blows to the head” received from directly heading the ball and indirectly “both in match play and in training”.
A FA spokesperson said: “We are not able to comment on ongoing legal proceedings.
“We continue to take a leading role in reviewing and improving the safety of our game.
“This includes investing in and supporting multiple projects in order to gain a greater understanding of this area through objective, robust and thorough research.”