Reducing heading in training in football

Motion Text

That this House welcomes the parliamentary e-petition submitted by Dr Judith Gates on behalf of Head Safe Football, which calls for legal safeguards to limit repetitive heading in football training in order to protect brain health; notes growing evidence linking repetitive head impacts in football with serious neurodegenerative conditions, including Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), which can affect memory, cognition, behaviour and mental health; recognises that more than 15 million people in England play football regularly and that protecting players from avoidable brain injury is a significant public health and player welfare issue; believes that a coordinated cross-government approach is required to strengthen prevention, education and awareness; calls on the Government to recognise CTE associated with repetitive head impacts from heading a football as a public health concern, support age-appropriate education on brain health and head injury prevention in schools and through the PE national curriculum, promote guidance and training for coaches, clubs, players and families, and support a national public awareness campaign under the banner of Think Head Safe: Reduce Heading in Training; and further calls on the Government to establish a cross-departmental taskforce involving medical experts, player representatives, campaign groups and football authorities to develop and implement evidence-based, legally enforceable safeguards on repetitive heading in football training and publish a national action plan to protect the brain health of current and future generations of players.