A header from a footballer in an Ansa archive photo
GLASGOW (SCOTLAND) – Revolutionary decision in Scotland. The local Football Association, the Scottish Football Federation, has decided to ban head shots for under-12 players. This decision would have been made after carefully analyzing the results of some recent studies conducted by the University of Glasgow which have highlighted how the former Scottish footballers were 3.5 times more likely to die of neurodegenerative diseases than the national average.
Before Scotland, a similar decision had been made by the United States in 2015. But in the case of the United States, it was mainly addressed to American Football athletes. The United States banned the very young from practicing this sport following sensational scandals from former professional sportsmen affected by dementia.
This decision by the Scottish Football Association triggered the reaction of Peter McCabe, president of the Headway association that fights neurodegenerative diseases. His declarations are reported by repubblica.it:
“There are questions about the age limit, according to speculation, it would be 12 years old. This means that a 13-year-old can hit his head without risk. How do we know it is? So there is an urgent need to do further research to understand what the risks are, if any, of hitting a modern soccer ball on the head. "
Source: Blitz Quotidiano