Neurodegenerative diseases strategey in development

The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) has announced the appointment of a leading industry expert on concussion and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) in sport.

Dr Adam White will help develop the union’s strategy around neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) and “drive this agenda across English football”.

A landmark 2019 study, jointly funded by the PFA and the Football Association, found the risk of dementia as a cause of death increased by around 3.5 times among ex-professional Scottish footballers.

Since the publication of the study, Football’s influence on lifelong outcomes and dementia risk (FIELD), the union has been campaigning for a football-wide response on the issue.

White’s role will include pushing football’s lawmakers to implement enhanced concussion protocols and increase the focus on long-term injury prevention.

The union is also co-ordinating research and evidence to present to the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) on the need for NDDs, linked with repeated heading of the ball, to be classified as an industrial disease.

Launching a former player consultation earlier this year, PFA project lead for NDD in football Dawn Astle said: “We currently have hundreds of former players and their families who are suffering as a direct result of their careers in professional football.”

She added that she hoped the consultation will provide “yet more evidence” for the IIAC.