Although head injuries are the most detrimental, they are quite common in athletics. High contact sports like football, hockey, and rugby all quickly come to mind, but even sports that aren’t typically associated with concussions can have heavy tolls on athletes' health and wellbeing.
Soccer is one of these sports. While less contact occurs, and more fouls are called than in other sports, using your head to hit the ball is a huge part of the game and a tactic and skill that is implemented and utilized repeatedly.
Recently, more research has been done to uncover the issues that stem from the use of soccer players’ heads. As the pioneers and soccer legends of the last hundred years have passed away, doctors and psychologists have revealed that brain trauma is a leading cause in many of their deaths.
The topic would not need to be stressed so much if it weren’t for the blatant evidence suggesting that head safety must be focused on: “CTE can only be diagnosed posthumously. Vermillion, Fryatt and Conway died in 2020… been diagnosed with dementia… cognitive difficulties and depression for the last dozen years of his life before he died in 2021. Pantuosco also died in 2021… ‘All four had the most severe stage of the disease’” (Golen). Four of Major League Soccer’s original headways in the late 90s have already died due to the repeated head injuries they sustained during their careers. Worse, the last decades of their lives were tormented with depression and other neurocognitive disorders.
The detrimental issue is the fact that nothing is being done to prevent or soften the impact of the soccer ball. For just the second time, soccer officials, scientists, and medical professionals have gathered in Chicago for a head injury summit: “Last year, Scott Vermillion was announced as the first former MLS player to be diagnosed with CTE. His father, David Vermillion, said he would have made it his "first priority" to attend the summit if he had been invited” (“CTE”).
Overall, the soccer officials don’t take into account the players and their families that are physically affected. They put up the facade that they are sparking debate and changing the pressing issues of head trauma in the sport of soccer, while in reality, they are mirroring the legislative branch during a filibuster. This is when there is a prolonged debate over a topic so that nothing changes or can be done about that topic. This is what the owners of the soccer leagues and corporate deals want because instead of “wasting” their money on their player’s safety, they can just keep it the way it is right now by stalling. More needs to be done for the safety of all athletes, but especially in sports that aren’t thought of when head injuries are brought up.
4 comments:
I agree that brain injuries are a serious issue in sports, especially soccer. Soccer players have passed away and suffered brain injuries as a result of the game's frequent head contact. Unfortunately, not much is being done to stop or lessen the effects of these injuries. Soccer officials appear more concerned with upholding the current quo than with putting player safety first. We should take steps to safeguard athletes, particularly in sports where head injuries are frequently disregarded.
Head injuries are detrimental to an athlete's career, and it is sadly normalized to a large degree. Football and soccer players have continued to suffer through head injuries which can possibly kill them. Yet, the violent nature of the sport is encouraged by the public. There has been no action by national sport organizations to prevent such dangers which continue to lead to more head injuries. I believe that sport organizations should be making slight, easily made changes to the sport which can help ensure the safety of the players. Revenue should not be the top priority in national sports-- and though the activity itself is competitive, is it not a standard to help those that are continuously being hurt? Injuries also reduce the conditions of these athletes, and corporations should view an extra needed safety blanket as an investment for even more high performing players. Regulations should be enacted-- though, I'm not sure how die hard sport fans would react to that...
I completely agree with you regarding the mention of CTE cases in soccer players - and to all athletes in general. It's alarming to hear about the severe stages of the disease experienced by former MLS players, which ultimately led to cognitive difficulties, depression, and even their untimely deaths. Player safety in soccer and any sport should be an urgent priority, and proactive measures must be taken to prevent and minimize the impact of head injuries. Finding the right balance between preserving the essence of the game and ensuring player safety is indeed a challenge. It's great that you brought up this important question. I appreciate your perspective on the perceived lack of action from soccer officials in addressing this issue. To truly make a difference, it's crucial for all stakeholders involved, including league owners and corporate entities, to place player safety above financial considerations. I think that one potential solution could be the implementation of stricter guidelines and regulations regarding heading in youth soccer, as well as educating players, coaches, and referees about the risks and techniques for safer heading.
I believe that the trend for CTE awareness is essential. Scientists have admitted that they don't know how much CTE can affect behavior, but have acknowledged the possibility of lasting damage. This paired with the young age of most athletes doesn't bode well for their future outside of sports if they are significantly hampered by symptoms of CTE. Concussions are known to cause permanent damage if experienced enough times or with extreme severity, and post-athletes have a higher rate to develop mental illnesses. Another big worry with CTE is that it is degenerative, meaning that it will slowly increase the amount and power of symptoms an individual can experience, with no known cures or medical relief. It truly is very sad to see young athletes with their entire lives ahead of them go through a freakish head injury that they may never recover from. CTE needs to be explored more in-depth as soon as possible to help the public fully understand its risks.
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