Rugby

‘Conclusive evidence’ repetitive head impacts can cause brain disease

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is 68 times more likely in contact-sport athletes


New research claims to have found 'conclusive evidence' that repetitive head impacts can potentially cause degenerative brain disease.

 Photograph: Getty

Wed Jul 27 2022 -

New research claims to have found “conclusive evidence” that repetitive head impacts can cause degenerative brain disease, with leading sports organisations urged to acknowledge the analysis by world-leading experts.

An international team of experts have issued a global call for further chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) prevention and mitigation efforts to be brought in, especially for children.

Researchers from Oxford Brookes University and 12 other academic institutions produced the study, with analysis provided by Concussion Legacy Foundation UK.

It found that the brain banks of the US Department of Defence, Boston University-US Department of Veterans Affairs and Mayo Clinic have published independent studies showing contact-sport athletes were at least 68 times more likely to develop CTE than those who did not play any contact sport.

[ Former Irish rugby players to take proceedings against IRFU over brain injuries ]

In rugby, there has been a number of players showing signs of early-onset dementia and on Monday the lobby group Progressive Rugby said it was finalising a comprehensive list of welfare requirements it would submit to governing bodies such as World Rugby and the English Rugby Football Union.

Dr Chris Nowinski, the lead author of the study and chief executive at the Concussion Legacy Foundation, said: “This innovative analysis gives us the highest scientific confidence that repeated head impacts cause CTE.

“Sport governing bodies should acknowledge that head impacts cause CTE and they should not mislead the public on CTE causation while athletes die, and families are destroyed, by this terrible disease.”

Dr Adam White, senior lecturer in sport and coaching sciences at Oxford Brookes University and executive director of the Concussion Legacy Foundation UK, said: “This analysis shows it is time to include repetitive head impacts and CTE among other child safety efforts like smoking, sunburns and alcohol.

“Repetitive head impacts and CTE deserve recognition in the global public health discussion of preventable disorders caused by childhood exposure in contact sports like football, rugby, ice hockey and others.”

The research paper, “Applying the Bradford Hill Criteria for Causation to Repetitive Head Impacts and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy”, has been published in Frontiers in Neurology and it is hoped it can force global sporting organisations such as Fifa and World Rugby into acknowledging there is a causal link between CTE and repetitive head impacts.

Asked about reports in this morning’s Irish Times that the IRFU is to face legal action over alleged issues arising from concussion among former players, Sports Minister Jack Chambers said the protocols around concussion had been strengthened in recent years through the international rugby authorities

“I know the IRFU need to make sure that they match all international best practice and that’s something I know they’re cognisant of, and we all want to ensure that HIAs are taken very seriously and I support all efforts to protect players and protect people as they play the game.”

He said there were medical assessments of whether a player can continue to play or to play the week following a concussion which “should be independent and objective to protect player welfare”.

Asked about recent moves in the United Kingdom to ban headers in under-12 leagues, he said it was something the Football Association of Ireland “could consider”.

“You need to follow best medical practice when it comes to protecting players, and it is a concern across sport. Sport is about wellbeing and promoting health and we need to ensure whatever measures are taken by sports that they mitigate any impacts when it comes to young people or people as they advance through the professional or performance systems.”