In response, Luke Griggs, Chief Executive of brain injury charity Headway said:
“Raphael Varane’s comments are both brave and concerning.”
“We are increasingly seeing players from various sports follow medical advice by retiring early in order to protect their long-term brain health.
“A sportsperson’s career is short and it’s understandable that they would want to play every minute they can. But equally you’re a long time retired, and there appears to be a growing acceptance of the long-term implications of not looking after one’s brain during a playing career.
“We applaud Raphael for speaking out about the challenges footballers face when trying to balance their careers and long-term health. He is entirely correct about players having to take responsibility by admitting when they don’t feel right following a blow to the head.
“I’m sure there are many other professional players – past and present – that are harbouring similar concerns about their long-term brain health and I hope Raphael’s comments will encourage others to be more open and inquisitive when it comes to emerging research into the risks.”
You can read Raphael's comments here on the BBC website
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