British campaigners say that existing support for former football players diagnosed with brain conditions – like dementia – is “not fit for purpose”, with MPs now considering proposals compelling the industry to contribute to the care costs of ex-players diagnosed with these conditions.
The campaigners are currently drafting amendments to the Football Governance Bill, which would treat conditions caused by heading balls as an “industrial injuries issue”, and require football bodies to provide the necessary financial support, reports Sky News.
Current support, including the Brain Health Fund which was established with an initial £1m by the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), supported by the Premier League, has been deemed by critics to be “not fit for purpose”.
But the Premier League said the fund has already supported 121 families with at-home adaptations and care home fees.
A number of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning team players have died with dementia, and last week, ex-players, including former Liverpool defender Neil Ruddock, went to Parliament to lobby MPs.
Ruddock told Sky News he had joined campaigners “for the families who’ve gone through hell”.
“A professional footballer is the greatest job in the world, but no one knew the dangers, and that’s scary,” he said.
“Every time someone heads a ball it’s dangerous … I used to head 100 balls a day in training. I didn’t realise that might affect my future.”
A study co-funded by the PFA and the Football Association (FA) in 2019 found footballers were three and a half times more likely to die of a neurodegenerative disease than members of the public of the same age.
‘In denial’
Various MPs are among those calling on football authorities to contribute towards the care costs of ex-players who have developed conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia, saying the game was “in denial about the whole thing”.
A spokesperson for the FA said it was taking a “leading role in reviewing and improving the safety of our game” and that it had already taken many proactive steps to review and address potential risk factors.
The PFA and Premier League declined to comment.
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