Hampden must lead way in dementia battle

IT’S great that politicians in Scotland, at least on the opposition benches, are treating the issue seriously. With all due respect to the good, the bad and the indifferent folk making their voices heard at the Scottish Parliament, however, the subject of concussion in sport also needs to be addressed at a much higher level. IFAB and FIFA had a real chance to change the game for the better by introducing rugby-style temporary concussion substitutes in football, allowing players to get properly assessed and — if cleared — return to play without their team suffering a disadvantage.

They dropped the ball. Missed the point completely by simply giving teams the option of making an extra permanent substitute in the event of a potential brain injury. A useless measure that does nothing to protect players.

Former Celtic, Chelsea and Norwich striker Chris Sutton (right), whose dad Mike died last year after a decade-long battle with dementia, has called for Scotland to break new ground by introducing temporary concussion subs.

Already leading the world in research into links between heading the football and neurodegenerative disease in later life, there is nothing to stop this country from once again putting itself in the vanguard of progress.

Our footballing authorities don’t need permission from the government to trial something that might prevent the current generation of footballers from incurring the same dementia risks as their predecessors. That needs action at Hampden. Not talk at Holyrood.