Dean Windass

Sohofox

Sohofox

Roofer
Diagnosed with Stage Two Dementia - and he's only 55.
Can't help feeling a bit ashamed that I've obsessively supported a sport which inflicts brain damage on so many players.
Dean Windass's case has got nothing to do with the old heavy wet leather footballs.
Dean played in the era of the lighter plastic ball and still dementia wrecks his life.
 
There's an FA study published a couple of years ago that states that ex-professional players are THREE times more likely to get dementia than the average person.
 
When you think about it, it's a bit odd that when the rules were created it was decided outfield players couldn't handle or catch the ball (fair enough - that's for egg chasers) or elbow it, or use the upper arm, but someone thought it would be okay to head it.

At some point they will say that you can't use your neck, face or other parts of the head to intentionally play the ball. It will come but not sure when. It will probably trialled in the Women's game first.
 
Because we pay to watch the harm being inflicted.
I don't pay to watch scaffolders fall off their scaffold.
And I never paid to watch miners digging coal.
 
I used to go to the Albert Hall to watch the Mickey Duff and Mike Barratt promotions like Chris Finneghan and Dave Boy Greene etc in the 1970s.
But once my Dad who was an Optician in Bethnal Green told me about all the old boys who used to fight in Blackfriars Ring before the War who had lost their sight due to detached retinas from taking punches - he used to have tears in his eyes telling me - I stopped going.
 
Isn't there any link with former boxers suffering from dementia ?
Would have thought there were similar circumstances regarding regularly heading an old football and taking a lot of punches to the head.
 
I'm sure you are right. But I can only tell you about what my Dad who was an Optician (and not a brain surgeon) told me.
 
Professional athletes also (potentially) suffer from a particular malnutrition effect, i.e. a lack of certain fatty acids (Omega-3). There appears to be a sound link to both dementia, depression and cardiac issues.

There is an expert in Munich (website via Google Translate) who is advising individual athletes and even some football clubs on this and their nutritional habits. Athletes appear to have a higher demand of Omega-3 and often display severe deficiencies. I listened to a couple of talks of his and found the topic very interesting and of general importance.

I don't doubt the link of excessive heading to dementia, by the way. That connection appears both obvious and soundly proven. There might be more to it though, and perhaps appropriate changes in diet are able to reduce the risk or even alleviate the progress of the disease?
 
DagenhamFox said:
People in many jobs that touch your life have ill effects of that job. Why do footballers take a precedent?
Click to expand...
H&S reps work in all industries where there is a danger of death or injury due to incidents in the workplace. People are constantly striving to bring down those numbers. Why should that not apply to footballers?
 
hackneyfox said:
H&S reps work in all industries where there is a danger of death or injury due to incidents in the workplace. People are constantly striving to bring down those numbers. Why should that not apply to footballers?
Click to expand...
It should in equal measures and asap too👍
 
swabianfox said:
Professional athletes also (potentially) suffer from a particular malnutrition effect, i.e. a lack of certain fatty acids (Omega-3). There appears to be a sound link to both dementia, depression and cardiac issues.

There is an expert in Munich (website via Google Translate) who is advising individual athletes and even some football clubs on this and their nutritional habits. Athletes appear to have a higher demand of Omega-3 and often display severe deficiencies. I listened to a couple of talks of his and found the topic very interesting and of general importance.

I don't doubt the link of excessive heading to dementia, by the way. That connection appears both obvious and soundly proven. There might be more to it though, and perhaps appropriate changes in diet are able to reduce the risk or even alleviate the progress of the disease?
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure the research isnt debatable swabian.
 
hackneyfox said:
H&S reps work in all industries where there is a danger of death or injury due to incidents in the workplace. People are constantly striving to bring down those numbers. Why should that not apply to footballers?
Click to expand...
I think it is applying to footballers and has for some time. Balls are lighter. More football is played on the ground than it used to be.
 
When ITV began some viewerrs refused to watch it, opposed to privatisation of broadcasting,
a pointless gesture as it carried no weight. So the point is, would boycotting a particular sport hasten any improvement?
You would like to think that enlightened administrators would act without pressure .Lots of work has been done in Rugby and rules amended as necessary. Whether any of us are prepared to be part of the process is really a personal choice
My grandson is a car racer and the safety aspect is taken seriously. Can we do any more if participants accept the risks?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top