The National Football League Acknowledges Long-term Concussion Effects
Monday, December 21st, 2009
BRAININJURYFORUM.com applauds the December 20, 2009 decision by the National Football League that recognizes the research of long-term effects from concussions on N.F.L. players.
After weeks of facing heated criticism and of transforming the N.F.L.’s approach to managing players who may have sustained a concussion they will publicly for the first time acknowledge that concussions can have lasting affects and consequences.
The leagues spokesman said in a telephone interview that the league was discussing the possible option to donate $ 1 million dollars or more to the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University.
Beyond the N.F.L. there are other Associations such as the N.H.L., and the Sports Entertainment giant’s such as the W.W.E. - World Wrestling Entertainment, TNA - Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and M.M.A. - Mixed Martial Arts where concussions have and do occur.
So what might this recent decision and its approach to managing concussion mean for the Professional Sports Entertainment industry? Remember, it wasn’t long ago that we were shocked by the tragedy that made headlines everywhere. “Professional Wrestler Chris Benoit: double homicide and his suicide”. Doctors made the connection that brain damage was apparent from his years in the ring. Chris Benoit’s father told reporters that he knew his son had sustained concussions because his son told him so. But he also said he knows of no medical records or records kept by World Wrestling Entertainment to support the diagnosis. Dr. Robert Cantu, Chief of Neurosurgery at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Massachusetts was quoted saying, that “the level of brain damage wrestler Chris Benoit had can cause cognitive impairments, dementia, depression and irrational behaviour.
Has society’s awareness reached a level where people are beginning to understand the impact and consequences that a brain injury can inflict on an individual and their quality of life now and/or into the future? We’d like to hear your opinions and thoughts.