The Beautiful Game’s Hidden Cost: Dementia and Football
Channel 4’s recent showing of the 1966 World Cup final was a treat, especially for those of us who remember seeing it live. There was more than nostalgia behind it though; the object of showing it was to raise awareness of dementia among footballers.
Geoff Hurst is the last surviving player from the starting eleven and of the ten no longer with us, at least five passed away with dementia. With research showing that professional footballers are three and a half times more likely to suffer from dementia than the general population, it’s good to see that various football bodies are taking the disease seriously.
The players’ union, the PFA, has been particularly proactive in being the voice of the players and families affected and drawing the clubs and the national associations, who have reaped the benefits of the players’ hard work, into the conversation.
The Premier League has been joined by the EFL in setting up a fund to support the affected players’ families as part of a multi-faceted approach alongside research and a change in regulations to address the causes and understand the extent of the issue.
The PFA has introduced a Brain Health Clinic, a thorough process allowing players to have their brains scanned to see if changes are occurring over time. On the prevention side of things, they have issued guidelines recommending that professional footballers, both male and female, shouldn’t head the ball more than 10 times a week, including during practice, and children under twelve shouldn’t head the ball at all.
At a local level, County are doing their bit to help those living with dementia, depression, and loneliness with The 90 Minute Club. Assisted by volunteers from Help The Hatters and the SCFC Players’ Association, the Community Trust use sporting artefacts, football quizzes and guest speakers to, in the words of Eddie Owen, “Connect with their past and rekindle happy thoughts and feelings that may have previously remained hidden.”
The Trust also offers physical exercise sessions such as walking football and gentle movement and stretching classes designed to help those living with Parkinson’s Disease.
Article by John K Bilsbury.
Photo Credit – Dot Jones.