VICTORY AS PFA AGREE TO FUND DR STEWART

clubs to adopt more stringent measures. We are calling on clubs to limit heading at all levels, including professional. After speaking to Dr Stewart, Sportsmail recommends a maximum of 20 headers per session in training, and a minimum 48 hours between sessions. Football’s lawmakers, the International Football Association Board, must also immediately ratify temporary concussion replacements. Dawn Astle, the daughter of West Bromwich Albion legend Jeff, whose death in 2002 was ruled by a coroner to have been as a result of heading footballs, joins us in calling for dementia to be ruled as an industrial disease. The Government joined in last night by warning football’s governing bodies that they face legislation forcing the sport to tackle the risk of brain injury among players, having been ‘knowingly negligent’ for years. Kate Lee, chief executive at Alzheimer’s Society, said: ‘It’s fantastic to see the Daily Mail launching such an important campaign to help get answers where dementia is concerned. ‘We want to see much more research into the links between dementia and football. ‘Until then, we have set up Sport United Against Dementia to spearhead change by making sure that the very best support is available to all sportspeople. ‘We are calling for clubs and bodies like the PFA and FA to work with us to ensure that past and present players, families and also fans affected by dementia get the help they need.’ Jim Pearson, Director for Policy & Research at Alzheimer Scotland, added: ‘Alzheimer Scotland acknowledge there is a continuing need for ongoing, properly commissioned and funded research in order to fully understand the risks associated with participation in football and other sports. ‘This must be balanced with the benefits of participation in sport, but we must also act to protect the long-term brain health of participants. The FIELD study (Football’s Influence on Lifelong Health and Dementia Risk), led by Dr Willie Stewart and published in 2019, established a link between former professional footballers and a higher incidence of dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases. ‘We fully support the study’s findings for further research to properly identify what contributes to this higher risk and what must be done to reduce it.’

If you have any questions about dementia and of the local support and services available in your area, call Alzheimer Scotland’ s 24- hour Free phone Dementia Help line on 08088083000.