AFL gamers may quickly be sporting helmets and sensible mouthguards amid measures to scale back traumatic head impacts, an inquest has been advised.
Giving proof to a coronial inquest into the dying of former Richmond participant Shane Tuck on Friday, the AFL’s chief medical officer Michael Makdissi mentioned the organisation was “determined to protect the welfare of players”.
“We haven’t waited for directional people to tell us, we’ve had the priority, or basic principle, of reducing head contact and the associated issues for a long time,” he mentioned.
Tuck died by suicide on the age of 38 in July 2020 and was discovered to have suffered from extreme continual traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) – a degenerative mind illness attributable to repeated head trauma.
He performed 173 video games for Richmond Football Club between 2004 and 2013, later having a quick boxing profession after his retirement.
Asked in regards to the AFL’s efforts to scale back head impacts linked to mind accidents, Dr Makdissi mentioned there had been greater than 30 rule adjustments since 2005 to “encourage and enforce behaviour change on the field”.
“We know repeated head trauma has an association with longer-term problems,” he mentioned.
“These are larger cross-sectional studies looking at retired players. What you see across a range of sports is there’s a higher proportion of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia or CTE.”
Dr Makdissi advised the inquest the AFL was concerned in ongoing analysis into measures to scale back head impacts and “AFL-specific headgear” may very well be launched as quickly because the 2024 season.
“Initially, they’re likely to be voluntary,” he mentioned.
“You need to be able to measure the benefits and the unintended consequences, like players playing differently.
“I wouldn’t mandate them initially … we would look at mandating down the track if there are these benefits.”
He mentioned analysis was underneath means into mouthguards with built-in accelerometers to measure the variety of incidents of head trauma.
The preliminary section of analysis is anticipated to finish later this 12 months, with a rollout “as early as next season”.
“Ideally, we have all players wearing it all the time if the devices is valid and reliable,” Dr Makdissi mentioned.
Both items of know-how, Dr Makdissi mentioned, would even be rolled out into the neighborhood stage of the game.
The inquest, headed by State Coroner Judge John Cain, is wanting into Tuck’s dying and whether or not it was linked to CTE.
Under the microscope are the sports activities’ insurance policies round head knocks and concussions and whether or not they defend the wellbeing of their gamers.
Dr Makdissi has defended the organisation’s efforts to mitigate traumatic mind accidents amongst gamers.
He mentioned each effort was being made to discourage behaviour on subject that led to go impacts, however the sport was conscious to not deter folks from taking part in.
“We need to make sure we’ve got a balanced and measured message about it,” he mentioned.
“We don’t want people dropping off physical activity over time because of heightened or overstated concerns.”
Source: www.news.com.au
