Former WWE wrestler and American footballer, Chris Nowinski, has said young people in the UK need to be taught more about head injuries.
Nowinski, who was forced to retire from WWE in 2007 after he was kicked in the head during a match and suffered post-concussion syndrome, says teenagers, parents, doctors and coaches need to be better educated on the risks involved in contact sports.
“This isn’t just an American football problem; this isn’t just a boxing problem. All of these sports that involve a lot of brain trauma are putting athletes at risk,” Nowinski said.
In the US, there are regulations in place that ensure young people and their parents know of the risks involved before taking up the sports, and Nowinski wants rules to be introduced in the UK.
Traditionally, head injuries are linked with American football players; however Nowinski said his institute had seen both football and rugby players develop signs of brain disease as a result of lots of concussions.
“Everybody has to understand concussions or else we should really think twice about the fact that we’re exposing these kids to so much brain damage,” he continued.
“I didn’t realise I had a brain injury because no-one ever told me. It’s only right to tell them what’s going on.”