Legend Jones fears epidemic as he reveals dementia fight aged just 41
WALES legend Ryan Jones has warned rugby is ‘walking headlong into a catastrophic situation’ after revealing that he has early-onset dementia.
Jones, 41, has been diagnosed with both dementia and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in what medical experts described as the worst case they had seen.
The former British and Irish Lion, who was speaking to The Sunday Times, joins high-profile victims of the condition that include former England stars Steve Thompson and Michael Lipman.
The Mail on Sunday understands the number of ex-players who have been diagnosed with early onset dementia and probable CTE could reach up to 200.
‘I feel like my world is falling apart,’ Jones, who won 75 Welsh caps and captained his country on 33 occasions, told The Sunday Times.
He also played in all three Lions Tests in New Zealand in 2005.
Jones continued: ‘I am really scared. I lived 15 years of my life like a superhero and I’m not. I don’t know what the future holds. I am a product of an environment that is all about process and human performance.
‘I’m not able to perform like I could. I just want to lead a happy, healthy, normal life.
‘I feel that’s been taken away and there is nothing I can do.’
On a huge weekend of rugby in which Wales, England, Ireland and Scotland all played crunch series deciders in the southern hemisphere, Jones’ testimony has shocked the sport.
Jones won three Six Nations Grand Slams with Wales in 2005, 2008 and 2012 as well as a Championship title in 2013. He captained the side to those 2008 and 2012 successes.
As recently as 2020, Jones was employed by the Welsh Rugby Union and had worked for the governing body as director of community rugby and then performance director.
He was told of his diagnosis last December.
Jones’ partner Charley has described living with the former back-row as ‘like having a conversation with my 85-year-old granddad.’
Jones added: ‘I’ve got three children and three step-children and I want to be a fantastic dad.
‘We don’t know where to go, where to find support. We haven’t got any friends in this space.
‘It terrifies me. That’s the fear.’ Lipman, the former Bath flanker who earned 10 England caps before retiring in 2012, told the MoS that he is struggling with memory loss and has battled with alcohol as a result of his diagnosis.
‘It scares the hell out of me,’ the 42-year-old said. ‘My son has just turned four and my daughter is almost 11.
‘Explaining that to them later in life is going to be difficult but I’ve accepted it now. With that comes a bit of a sign around your head saying: “Here’s dementia boy”. A couple of people have said that and it hurts.’