Dr Bennet Omalu is a renowned neurologist in England who advocates banning heads for players under the age of 18. This gesture would have consequences on their cognitive capacities.
Heads often make it possible to achieve great goals in football, but the sporting feat would not be without consequences for health. An English neurologist recommends banning it for young underage players in an interview with the british bbc radio.
‘Heading should be limited in professional football & banned for under-18s’: https://t.co/suKeP0JTZO
– BBC Football News (@bbcfoot) August 8, 2018
The risks of chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Dr Bennet Omalu is known around the world for having discovered chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Caused by the accumulation of concussions, it was initially called “boxer’s disease” but it concerns other sports such as rugby or football. When a player heads off, it creates an “under concussion”. If the gesture is rare, that’s okay, but for professional players who regularly face heads, it could be. Dr Omalu recommends to “restrict the use of the head at the professional level” and to prohibit it at the young people of less than 18 years.
Risks for balance and memory
Heading regularly increases the risk of balance disorders and can cause neurological disorders in the long run, according to a study published last July. In 2016, researchers at the University of Stirling in the UK showed that 24 hours after a head memory capacity is reduced by 41-67%.
“I know for some it’s hard to imagine. But science evolves. We change with time. Society changes. It is time for us to change some of our habits,” explained Dr Bennet Omalu. In the United States, since 2015, children under ten are not allowed to play with their heads.
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