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.”
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