The charities Headway – the brain injury association, The Jeff Astle Foundation, and the Child Brain Injury Trust have issued a joint call demanding action be taken without further delay.
Peter McCabe, Chief Executive of Headway, said: “Everyone connected to the game, especially parents, deserves reassurance based on robust evidence that heading a modern, lightweight football is safe.
“At the same time, families of players who were playing in the era of old-style, heavy leather footballs are entitled to answers to the question of whether or not heading those balls contributed to their loved ones developing dementia in later life.
“For far too long the Football Association has promised that it would look into this issue but has simply failed to act. We urgently need a large-scale project that addresses both aspects of this issue and that builds upon the small-scale studies that have been published to date.
“This lack of action can only harm the game and an independent large-scale scientific study, funded by the FA, must commence immediately.
“If football authorities are serious about protecting those who play and love the game, while encouraging more people to get involved, they must act now.”
Lisa Turan, Chief Executive of the Child Brain Injury Trust, added: “We fully support an immediate call to action of a large-scale evidence based study, which will provide the answers we all need. This way families can be assured of its outcome and be confident with its findings.”
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