NFR: Scottish FA expected to ban children heading footballs within weeks

[Logicalman]

Grassroots football to change for ever?


https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-51129653


Scottish FA expected to ban children heading footballs within weeks

A ban on children heading the ball in Scotland could be in place in a matter of weeks due to fears over the links between football and dementia.

BBC Scotland has learned the Scottish FA wants to lead the way on the issue after a report found former players are more at risk of dying from the disease.
The governing body is expected to announce a ban on under-12s heading the ball in training later this month.
A similar ban has been in place in the US since 2015.
But Scotland would become the first European country to impose a restriction on head contact.
Discussions have been ongoing since the release of a study in October which found the first links between former players and degenerative brain disease.
The Scottish FA's doctor, John MacLean, was part of the team which highlighted that former players are three-and-a-half times more likely to die of dementia.
There remains no firm evidence linking heading the ball to the disease but Dr MacLean thinks a restriction of head contact is common sense.
He said: "We can't wait on the evidence one way or the other on heading.
"We need to take some sensible, pragmatic steps at the moment and that's largely going to be about trying to reduce that overall burden, the overall times that young players head - and heading in training is much more common than in matches.
"The study was never designed to, and couldn't identify, why. But I think most people would say, pragmatically, that it would be head injury or heading, in whatever combination that would be."

Gordon Smith, former chief executive of the Scottish FA, welcomed the proposed ban and told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme that young players could still be taught heading techniques safely if they used lighter balls.
"We should be using plastic balls so that the young players could get the technique without having to head the ball," he said. "They'll be told that heading is part of the game as they come through, but they don't have to be heading the big balls immediately.
"They're better [off] using a softball so they actually develop the technique, but there's no effect on them for later days."

The Scottish FA move to ban under-12s heading balls will pose questions for national associations across the world when the plans become a reality.

The Football Association in England told the BBC their position remains unchanged - that there is "no evidence to suggest that heading should be banned in youth football" and that it is "significantly less common in children's games than people often think".

The Scottish FA's move will also be a relief for Dr Willie Stewart, who led the study that found the link in the first place.
He said: "I'm delighted. I think that while there were many questions left unanswered by our report, I think the one thing that came through is that football needs to change in some way.
"We can't go on looking at a risk of three-and-a-half times higher neurogenerative disease in footballers and not do something about it, so this is great."


'Leading the rest of football'

It is also being seen as a progressive move by those who have played the game.
Former Wales, Arsenal and Celtic striker John Hartson says the Scottish FA should be applauded for leading the way on something that seems obvious.
He said "Heading was a massive part of my game. Managers bought me because I could head the ball.
"There have been some serious situations where players have lost their lives and ex-legends suffering from dementia, so I'm glad the SFA are leading the rest of football and doing something about it."
The ban is likely to be confirmed by the Scottish FA in the coming weeks when all stakeholders have signed up to the plan.

[Tabby]

Don't think it'll mean that much of a change. Not a lot of crosses in u12 games.

[Southdowns White]

Good idea for children , when you're an adult you can make your own mind up. At last British football using it's head in another way, hopefully save damaging people in the long run. People will still moan though, but it really won't change the game much.

[Milo]

Seems high risk.

A 14 year old boy would need to be in his 60s to even get preliminary results of whether this change made a big difference to dementia rates. Realistically in his 70s or 80s.

So are the Scottish FA willing to wait 50-70 years of effectively changing an entire sport on the off chance it reduces rates to reach both statistical and clinical significance.

I imagine there must be data looking at men/women in their later life now who self declare themselves as having played football regularly for x amount of time in their youth and now have dementia. Ps surely it's a flawed methodology anyway as people with dementia will be less likely to be specific about past details (although admittedly dementia is normally the most recent past that goes first).

I just feel that the Scottish FA have to remember people may only play football for 7 years of their life at school... and, I would be surprised (and haven't the time to look up) if the data is out there to say that is enough to make a big difference to dementia rates.

Having said that first they ignore you, then they laugh at you etc..

[Jim©]

I coach an U15 team (since they were U8s) and I reckon you could count on one hand the amount of times the ball was headed each season when they were U12s.
In fact with their defending from corners I often wonder if they have been banned from heading the ball and no one has told me.

[sunburywhite]

Everyone knows Scottish goalkeepers are terrible with crosses

[Mince n Tatties]

Think its been applied already to our centre backs,as when they go up for a corner or a free kick into the opposition box,they never seem to get their head on it.
😜

[fulhamben]

Seems high risk.

A 14 year old boy would need to be in his 60s to even get preliminary results of whether this change made a big difference to dementia rates. Realistically in his 70s or 80s.

So are the Scottish FA willing to wait 50-70 years of effectively changing an entire sport on the off chance it reduces rates to reach both statistical and clinical significance.

I imagine there must be data looking at men/women in their later life now who self declare themselves as having played football regularly for x amount of time in their youth and now have dementia. Ps surely it's a flawed methodology anyway as people with dementia will be less likely to be specific about past details (although admittedly dementia is normally the most recent past that goes first).

I just feel that the Scottish FA have to remember people may only play football for 7 years of their life at school... and, I would be surprised (and haven't the time to look up) if the data is out there to say that is enough to make a big difference to dementia rates.

Having said that first they ignore you, then they laugh at you etc..

and I'm presuming that the only data they have is from people who used to head the leather balls that used to become as heavy as a cannon ball when wet. I'd be surprised if the trend continues with these modern day balloons they play with now.

[Montague]

Seems high risk.

A 14 year old boy would need to be in his 60s to even get preliminary results of whether this change made a big difference to dementia rates. Realistically in his 70s or 80s.

So are the Scottish FA willing to wait 50-70 years of effectively changing an entire sport on the off chance it reduces rates to reach both statistical and clinical significance.

I imagine there must be data looking at men/women in their later life now who self declare themselves as having played football regularly for x amount of time in their youth and now have dementia. Ps surely it's a flawed methodology anyway as people with dementia will be less likely to be specific about past details (although admittedly dementia is normally the most recent past that goes first).

I just feel that the Scottish FA have to remember people may only play football for 7 years of their life at school... and, I would be surprised (and haven't the time to look up) if the data is out there to say that is enough to make a big difference to dementia rates.

Having said that first they ignore you, then they laugh at you etc..

Read a book recently called 'state of play' and it had a enlightening section on the ex footballers now suffering with dementia.
It's also a big topic being discussed in the states with regards to the NFL - head impacts and effects

[Milo]

Seems high risk.

A 14 year old boy would need to be in his 60s to even get preliminary results of whether this change made a big difference to dementia rates. Realistically in his 70s or 80s.

So are the Scottish FA willing to wait 50-70 years of effectively changing an entire sport on the off chance it reduces rates to reach both statistical and clinical significance.

I imagine there must be data looking at men/women in their later life now who self declare themselves as having played football regularly for x amount of time in their youth and now have dementia. Ps surely it's a flawed methodology anyway as people with dementia will be less likely to be specific about past details (although admittedly dementia is normally the most recent past that goes first).

I just feel that the Scottish FA have to remember people may only play football for 7 years of their life at school... and, I would be surprised (and haven't the time to look up) if the data is out there to say that is enough to make a big difference to dementia rates.

Having said that first they ignore you, then they laugh at you etc..

Read a book recently called 'state of play' and it had a enlightening section on the ex footballers now suffering with dementia.
It's also a big topic being discussed in the states with regards to the NFL - head impacts and effects

Sounds like an interesting read. I agree it looks like there's a trend between a career in sports where there is recurrent head trauma and dementia..

However..

This is suggesting a blanket ban on heading the ball at an amateur level too while many of these children (indeed the vast majority) will not go on to experience repeated trauma as they give the sport up in adult life.

Again, I haven't looked into the data so I'm only speculating - so if anyone has read up on some facts and wants to weigh in then please do!

[H4usuallysitting]

where will they get to practice the Glasgow kiss

[Bassey the warrior]

Seems high risk.

A 14 year old boy would need to be in his 60s to even get preliminary results of whether this change made a big difference to dementia rates. Realistically in his 70s or 80s.

So are the Scottish FA willing to wait 50-70 years of effectively changing an entire sport on the off chance it reduces rates to reach both statistical and clinical significance.

I imagine there must be data looking at men/women in their later life now who self declare themselves as having played football regularly for x amount of time in their youth and now have dementia. Ps surely it's a flawed methodology anyway as people with dementia will be less likely to be specific about past details (although admittedly dementia is normally the most recent past that goes first).

I just feel that the Scottish FA have to remember people may only play football for 7 years of their life at school... and, I would be surprised (and haven't the time to look up) if the data is out there to say that is enough to make a big difference to dementia rates.

Having said that first they ignore you, then they laugh at you etc..

What is the risk exactly?

[Milo]

Good question.

Risk is the wrong word I suppose... because my reasons for keeping headers is largely sentimental.

However, I suppose there is a "risk" to the Scottish FA who would be deskilling their future professional footballers who would compete on the international stage WITH heading still a major part of the game.

Again, if there was a definite link and there wasn't a 70 year lag before we got the results.. I wouldn't be arguing the point. No one wants dementia as most of us have seen it's effects. However, we can't jump to conclusions.

[RaySmith]

I do think there is a lot of difference  between the risks involved in heading the old leather ball, which is surely where a lot of the evidence of ex -players suffering trauma to the brain, and causing Alzheimers from it, comes from - though how do they actually assess this, that heading a football caused it? and heading today's much lighter ball,  which doesn't absorb moisture either.

But hard to argue against it being banned  for children i suppose - but  how will  you get adult players coming through able to head the ball, an important part of the game?