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Football authorities are considering following the example of Rugby Union and allowing the introduction of concussion substitutes in the game.
That is after the University of Glasgow published a study that revealed that ex-players are three and a half times more likely to suffer from neurological diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s, than players of the same age.
In rugby, any player who has a head injury or concussion is taken off the pitch and subjected to an extensive range of tests. Whilst they are off the field, a substitute is allowed in their place, and, if the injured player is deemed fit enough to continue, then the substitute can be withdrawn again.
The research compared the causes of death of more than 7,500 former Scottish players born between 1900 and 1976 compared to 23,000 individuals from the general population, and came up with those worrying conclusions, both for professional and amateur players of the game.
Andy is an exiled English football fan living in Cyprus. He loves all sports but football is his abiding passion, and he still has dreams every now and then about scoring the winning goal in a Wembley Cup Final, even though his playing days are long gone. He follows most major leagues, across Europe at least, and has a favoured team in each. When he’s not watching, listening, reading or downloading podcasts about football, he spend his time worrying about his beloved Arsenal.