Several former Aussie rules stars are threatening to sue the AFL for cognitive impairment they say stems from on-field impacts. What does the science say?
Yet the concussion conundrum is not so simple. Experts in neuroscience, sports law, AFL administrators, club doctors, former players and union officials mostly agree that the science behind this issue is far from settled, while the medico-legal complexities remain unexplored.
In our day, you got hit, they ran a finger in front of your eyes, and then it's 'Yep, you're right to go'.The case that the AFL must answer, then, relates to what happened before all that, in the time of biffs, bumps and brawlers – the time of lead plaintiff John Barnes. The blond ruckman retired in 2001 after 202 games in a career that began in 1987.
And yet, it is worth considering a competing body of evidence from Dr Nathan Gibbs, head doctor for the Australian Wallabies. Gibbs compiled his own research over 12 years while club doctor for the Sydney Swans, and in 2017, published his surprising results. In the aftermath of the 140 concussions he recorded, every Swan played the following week. And their immediate performance – based on a mark out of 20 given by the coach – was unaffected. "They played well," Gibbs says.
, launched a year ago. A handful of high-profile sportsmen pledged their brains to the bank that day, including retired AFL player Daniel Chick, former National Rugby League star Ian Roberts, and former Wallaby Peter FitzSimons.Only one Australian brain had, until that point, been diagnosed with CTE; that of former rugby union player Barry "Tizza" Taylor, who died in 2014 aged 77. His brain, studied in America,. The case became a cause célèbre.
Yet the ex-players tracked well – within normal limits. The one who performed best had reported 20 concussions throughout his career. Within certain circles, the preliminary findings were unwelcome. Saling and Blaine remember presenting them to the International Neuropsychological Society in 2015, at a Sydney hotel. The conference room was consumed by immediate anger. Outrage. A group of North American researchers mocked the work because two members of the original sample weren't re-tested.
He is troubled that footy fans still revere the warriors who dole out hits, and laud the courage of the recipients. He admits that players were once routinely returned to the fray in a perilous state: "This was life," he notes. "People used to be put down in the forward pocket, swaying gently in the breeze until they could gather their wits and continue to play."
A blanket rest rule, however, is unlikely to be applied. For one thing, concussion is an individual condition. While some players might need three weeks to recover, others feel better within hours of a blow. Imagine a rule that says a healthy star midfielder can't play in the grand final on Saturday because he was concussed last Sunday.
Awareness is filtering down from the professional setting, too. The AFL and NRL have both recently moved to ban tackling in some junior age groups. A new HeadCheck app, filled with identification and treatment tips, was recently shared with sporting clubs across the country. Only a few weeks ago, the Australian Institute of Sport released a cautious position statement on concussion in sport.
Some of the lost ground has been gained through collective bargaining by player associations. If an AFL player has to quit footy because of concussion, for instance, they can apply for a "football-ending injury payment". Later, the lifetime health-care provision helps reimburse medical expenses. There's the hardship fund for players in special, stricken circumstances, but the limit is about $20,000.
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