Lineker and Shearer call for action as ex-players are left ‘terrified’ by dementia risk

A group of 60 prominent former players have called on football’s governing bodies to urgently deliver a new strategy to tackle the national game’s dementia crisis.

In a joint statement, the players, including former England captains Gary Lineker, Kevin Keegan, Alan Shearer, Stuart Pearce, Terry Butcher and Dave Watson, have backed the charity Head for Change in urging a three-pronged “protect, prevent, preserve” approach. That includes an industry-wide care fund to help ex-players coping with brain diseases that are almost four-times more prevalent within the game.

The footballers, who also include Graeme Souness, Micah Richards, Martin Keown, Matt Le Tissier, Viv Anderson, Ray Parlour, Gary Pallister and Emile Heskey, are largely of a generation who are retired but have not yet reached the age at which numerous other former players have begun showing dementia symptoms.

As recommended by Dr Willie Stewart, the neuropathologist who proved football’s dementia link, they also want research to proactively consider how the risks could be rebalanced for ex-players like them between the ages of 30 and 70, as well as a concerted education campaign for current players, coaches, parents and children.

“‘I’m terrified’ is a regular comment from many of these ex-players,” said a statement from Head for Change. “They observe the traumatic dementia journey which is robbing many older ex-players of their minds, whilst knowing they themselves may be living with a ticking time bomb of tau protein spreading through their brain like poison ivy.”

An application to have dementia in football recognised as an industrial disease is being considered by the Industrial Illness Advisory Council, which requires evidence that a medical condition is at least twice as prevalent among a particular occupation.