Former rugby stars with early-onset dementia planning to sue over concussion risks

Three former rugby stars diagnosed with early-onset dementia are among a group of 10 ex-players planning to sue the sport’s governing body in England, alleging there was a failure to protect them from the risk of concussion.

Bobbie Goulding, Paul Highton and Jason Roach are taking action against the Rugby Football League (RFL) for negligence, having also been diagnosed with likely chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

CTE is a brain condition thought to be caused by repeated blows to the head.

The 10 players have written a letter to the RFL laying out their allegations.

It says the RFL “owed them, as individual professional players, a duty to take reasonable care for their safety by establishing and implementing rules in respect of the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of actual or suspected concussive and sub-concussive injuries”.

Goulding, 49, who played for 17 years as a professional for Great Britain, Wigan, Widnes, Leeds, and St Helens, was diagnosed earlier this month after also having battled earlier in his life with alcohol and drug addiction.

Similarly, 44-year-old Highton, who played over 200 Super League games, was diagnosed earlier this month.

Infrared light therapy could help people living with dementia, scientists say

Britney and conservatorships: Preventing potential abuse

Gary Lineker and Brian Deane among former players demanding help from football authorities in dementia fight

As was Roach, 50, a former Scotland international who played for various top clubs in England in a career spanning more than a decade.

Roach said he started to notice when he was in his 30s that he would repeat himself, and also had no memory of crashing his car and then acting in a threatening manner.

“I used to be sociable, outgoing, Jack the Lad, funny, (the) life and soul of the party,” said Roach. “I would go out on my own, I’d be one of the lads, probably the alpha male in a bunch of alpha males. I was the alpha alpha male.

“I’ve now gone to not wanting to do anything, frightened of situations.

“I now start doing things and when I come to an outcome, I don’t know how I got there.”

Under current rugby rules, players are given a baseline cognitive function test at the start of each season before they start any contact training, which determines players have fully recovered from any concussion they suffer.

Players who are suspected of suffering a concussion during a match are taken off and assessed for 15 minutes.

The RFL said in a statement: “The Rugby Football League has recently been contacted by solicitors representing a number of former players.

“The RFL takes player safety and welfare extremely seriously, and has been saddened to hear about some of the former players’ difficulties.

“Rugby League is a contact sport and while there is an element of risk to playing any sport, player welfare is always of paramount importance.

“As a result of scientific knowledge, the sport of Rugby League continues to improve and develop its approach to concussion, head injury assessment, education, management and prevention across the whole game. We will continue to use medical evidence and research to reinforce and enhance our approach.”

Football has also been grappling with evidence of the risk of players developing dementia, with new guidance on heading in training introduced earlier this year.

Read Entire Article