Increased dementia risk: call for header ban - risk

The study under 8,000 former Scottish footballers, which were active between the 1930s and 1990s, examined the context of head-balls and later health consequences and delivered brisant results: so it turned out that defenders have an unevenly higher risk to develop at dementia, As your teammate.

In Europe, according to World Alzheimer report, in the course of a year, two percent of the more than 65-year-olds fall ill at a dementia, while the risk of years of age - from an average of 0.53 percent among the 65- to 69-year-olds exceeds twelve percent under The maximum legislation (90 years and older). The risk is therefore not insignificant - and for footballers even significantly higher, especially for defensive players.

According to the current Glasgow study, defender have a five times higher risk of being affected by dementia or other neurodegenerative diseases than the average. For field players, the risk is four times as high, while goalkeepers have comparable values ​​as the average population. Effects on the risk would also have the career duration, but not the time in which affected players were active.

Unlike us, we know in this case, which is the risk factor.

Dr. William Stewart

For neuropathologist Dr. William Stewart are headballs a logical explanation for it. "The repeated minds of a football could lead to an increased risk of dementia," said the study leader. "Unlike otherwise, in this case, we know what the risk factor is. It is completely avoidable, we could prevent such consequences."

In other words, for the professor it would be conceivable to completely banish head balls from football or introduce a helmet to protect the health of the players and players. However, or so it is clear that you could only change something in the long term, Stewart stressed: "If we now bring about a change, it will take 30 to 40 years until we see the effects."

In the United Kingdom, science has been dealing with the health consequences of repeated head balls - there were already consequences. In child and youth football, head balls should not take place as far as possible, while in the professional area, according to the latest Fa guidelines in training should be limited.

The international top transfers of the summer