Frustrations grow over head injury risk

The brain doctor whose landmark research has proved the link between professional football and dementia has outlined his frustration at the failure of the game’s leading governing bodies to mitigate risks for current and future generations.

It is now five weeks since the Glasgow neuropathologist, Dr Willie Stewart, presented unequivocal evidence that former professional footballers were significantly more likely to die from neurodegenerative disease.

At the time, the Football Association said its medical and advisory group had concluded that there was insufficient evidence to make changes to how football was played.

Dr Stewart, who sits on the medical and advisory group, said that “we have a long way to go before we have a consensus view – a credible view – on what happens next” and that “not enough evidence is not the same as nothing is happening and nothing needs to be done”.

He is advocating a review of heading in children’s football, including its removal at the youngest ages, unified concussion protocols that would include temporary substitutions, restrictions in heading practice and a properly funded care scheme for former footballers living with dementia. His team found a five-fold increased risk of dying from Alzheimer’s Disease.

“I certainly don’t think that the management of head injuries in football in 2019 is in any way acceptable,” he added.