Football Authorities Accused of Delaying Tactics Over Dementia Crisis

Strategic Insights -

The English football authorities have been accused of being slow to act on the game's dementia crisis, despite the alarming rate at which former professionals are dying from brain disease. The issue has been exacerbated by the discovery that heading footballs can lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a pathology associated with head impacts. The Football Association, Premier League, English Football League, Women's Super League, and Professional Footballers' Association met to discuss restrictions on heading in adult training, but no concrete recommendations are expected until later this season.

Key Takeaways:

  • The English football authorities have been accused of delaying tactics over the game's dementia crisis, despite the alarming rate at which former professionals are dying from brain disease.
  • Dr. Willie Stewart, who examined Nobby Stiles's brain, stated that it is "unacceptably poor" for football to say more evidence is needed before making changes, given the evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) found in three-quarters of the footballers' brains examined.
  • Nobby Stiles's son, John, accused the authorities of "talk and delay" when they should be taking action to protect players from the risks associated with heading footballs.
  • The Stiles family donated his brain for research after his death in October, which confirmed "extensive" evidence of CTE.
  • CTE has been found in three-quarters of the footballers' brains examined, including that of Jeff Astle, whose death was recorded as "industrial disease" in 2001.
  • The alarming rate of brain disease among former professionals is evident, with former players dying at a rate 3.5 times higher than the general population.
  • The authorities are expected to make no recommendations until later this season, despite the clear evidence of the dangers of heading footballs.
  • Dr. Charlotte Cowie, an FA head of medicine, highlighted the unknowns in the link between heading and dementia, appearing to question whether head impacts lead to dementia.
  • The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) has called for urgent action to limit heading in adult training.

Statistics:

  • 14 months: The time since it was found that former professionals were 3.5 times more likely to die of brain disease than the general population.
  • 3.5: The risk factor by which former professionals are more likely to die of brain disease than the general population.
  • 20 years: The amount of time since Jeff Astle's diagnosis with CTE, during which time two generations of players have been playing football at risk without being adequately informed.
  • 75%: The proportion of footballers' brains that have shown evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in Dr. Willie Stewart's research.
  • 78: The age at which Nobby Stiles died from dementia, after living with the condition for more than a decade.

Sources:

  • The Times, "Football's dementia crisis: 'We are being disingenuous'", November 2022.
  • BBC Sport, "Nobby Stiles' son accuses football authorities of 'delaying tactics' over dementia crisis", November 2022.
  • The Guardian, "Football dementia crisis: 'The authorities are playing catch-up'", November 2022.