Rugby faces 'ticking time bomb' over dementia

[sglowrider]

Rugby faces 'ticking time bomb' over dementia as former Wales captain Ryan Jones becomes the latest former player to reveal that he is suffering at the age of just 41​

• Ex-Wales captain Ryan Jones has been diagnosed with early-onset dementia
• The 41-year-old admits he is 'terrified' about the future and the impact it will have
• He believes rugby is ‘walking headlong with its eyes closed into a catastrophe’
• It is thought 200 ex-rugby players have been diagnosed with dementia and CTE

The man representing 185 rugby union players in a concussion lawsuit against the game’s governing bodies has warned of a ‘ticking time bomb’ of early-onset dementia diagnoses and other neurological impairments in the sport.

Former Wales captain Ryan Jones has become the latest former player to reveal that he is suffering with both early-onset dementia and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) at the age of 41. Jones believes rugby is ‘walking headlong with its eyes closed into a catastrophic situation’ as it continues to battle the impact of head injuries suffered by its players.

Richard Boardman of Rylands Legal represents the rugby union players in a lawsuit against its governing bodies as well as a further 75 former rugby league players in a separate lawsuit against the Rugby Football League.

He believes there could be thousands more rugby professionals who, as they reach their 30s, 40s and 50s, might end up with dementia, CTE, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease or post-concussion syndrome as a result of taking blows to the head.

 

[larsIU]

I think, as a species, we’re always evolving and finding ways not to kill ourselves. Previously it was just good old evolution but now, we use lawyers.

 

[mcmurtry66]

Rugby faces 'ticking time bomb' over dementia as former Wales captain Ryan Jones becomes the latest former player to reveal that he is suffering at the age of just 41​

• Ex-Wales captain Ryan Jones has been diagnosed with early-onset dementia
• The 41-year-old admits he is 'terrified' about the future and the impact it will have
• He believes rugby is ‘walking headlong with its eyes closed into a catastrophe’
• It is thought 200 ex-rugby players have been diagnosed with dementia and CTE

The man representing 185 rugby union players in a concussion lawsuit against the game’s governing bodies has warned of a ‘ticking time bomb’ of early-onset dementia diagnoses and other neurological impairments in the sport.

Former Wales captain Ryan Jones has become the latest former player to reveal that he is suffering with both early-onset dementia and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) at the age of 41. Jones believes rugby is ‘walking headlong with its eyes closed into a catastrophic situation’ as it continues to battle the impact of head injuries suffered by its players.

Richard Boardman of Rylands Legal represents the rugby union players in a lawsuit against its governing bodies as well as a further 75 former rugby league players in a separate lawsuit against the Rugby Football League.

He believes there could be thousands more rugby professionals who, as they reach their 30s, 40s and 50s, might end up with dementia, CTE, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease or post-concussion syndrome as a result of taking blows to the head.

I know one of the performance guys with Wales Rugby. This is a real mess. CTE can only be diagnosed after death, but more and more athletes are coming out complaining of issues. Bruce Murray - old Clemson player who played for the national team is having dementia problems. He played overseas back in the muddy boots, long ball, can't stop em chop days over there in the second division. He's been working with youth clubs and running clubs on the east coast and having trouble even doing that. i thought it was insane back in the 80s when americans went over there to play in the lower divisions. van buskirk from iu did it in germany. they'd have to head watered down heavy balls kicked 70 yards in the air for hours on end as punishment for playing like shit

Boston U and a few others are really the only universities studying CTE. As more and more of this generation die and more and more studies are performed on their brains we'll see changes in these games. Advances in material sciences just aren't going fast enough to prevent concussions or subconcussive injuries. the latter is so insidious. like a hammer to a marble counter that cracks after the thousandth hit.

FA is testing prohibiting heading for u12 starting this fall with an eye towards making it permanent. states here have tiered restrictions. having a ten year head gk punts was and is idiotic. there will be a lot more to come on all this shit

 

[outside shooter]

It's football without helmets. Duh...

 

[JamieDimonsBalls]

Sports are never going to be what they were. But that’s probably good for humanity, not so much spectators

 

[mcmurtry66]

Sports are never going to be what they were. But that’s probably good for humanity, not so much spectators

Sports are never going to be what they were. But that’s probably good for humanity, not so much spectators

Yup. Football at the youth level is basically down to one or two insurers. Insurance, worker's compensation, threat of litigation will eventually bring about change

 

[sglowrider]

I know one of the performance guys with Wales Rugby. This is a real mess. CTE can only be diagnosed after death, but more and more athletes are coming out complaining of issues. Bruce Murray - old Clemson player who played for the national team is having dementia problems. He played overseas back in the muddy boots, long ball, can't stop em chop days over there in the second division. He's been working with youth clubs and running clubs on the east coast and having trouble even doing that. i thought it was insane back in the 80s when americans went over there to play in the lower divisions. van buskirk from iu did it in germany. they'd have to head watered down heavy balls kicked 70 yards in the air for hours on end as punishment for playing like shit

Boston U and a few others are really the only universities studying CTE. As more and more of this generation die and more and more studies are performed on their brains we'll see changes in these games. Advances in material sciences just aren't going fast enough to prevent concussions or subconcussive injuries. the latter is so insidious. like a hammer to a marble counter that cracks after the thousandth hit.

FA is testing prohibiting heading for u12 starting this fall with an eye towards making it permanent. states here have tiered restrictions. having a ten year head gk punts was and is idiotic. there will be a lot more to come on all this shit

I played for quite a few years at HS level. I was also a lot bigger than I am now -- maybe 20-30lbs bigger!! Feckin Chinese ape.

Even our intermural matches were brutal. I have seen friends kneed in the head, dislocated shoulders... just intramurals!!!

I knocked a player (from a different school) out when we clashed head on head. He was taken out on a stretcher to an ambulance/hospital.

I don't remember anything of the rest of that game other than a line out, some time may be in the 2nd half!
I had my tailbone fractured during another match. Got kneed by someone in a ruck. That was painful.

 

[sglowrider]

Yup. Football at the youth level is basically down to one or two insurers. Insurance, worker's compensation, threat of litigation will eventually bring about change

Soccer and racket sports are probably the few left that are relatively safe. Though they are thinking of banning the heading of the ball.
See the above story.

Its not like the old leather balls where it felt like a concussion every time you headed a ball or a medicine ball when you played in the wet. The balls of today are nothing like when I was a kid. Almost volleyball weight now.

 

[sglowrider]

Sports are never going to be what they were. But that’s probably good for humanity, not so much spectators

It just got too competitive -- win at any cost mindset. Not sure if the culture or the parents or $$.

 

[sglowrider]

It's football without helmets. Duh...

Having said that, if it's bone on bone, you aren't so crazy as to do a torpedo onto someone like a fullback does. In rugby, you would dip your shoulder into the opposing player and less of your helmet/head as the tip of the spear.

 

[Ohio Guy]

I played for quite a few years at HS level.

How long were you in high school

 

[larsIU]

How long were you in high school

Still is but don’t tell him.

 

[sglowrider]

How long were you in high school

the usual 8 yrs.