Sports

Footballers At Higher Risk Of Dementia — Study

Published

3 years ago

March 17, 2023

Top level Swedish football players — except for goalkeepers — were significantly more likely to develop dementia than the general public over the last century, a large study suggested on Friday.

Experts said the study adds to “convincing evidence” linking the world’s most popular sport to a higher risk of degenerative brain disorders, and comes as head injury controversies rumble throughout other codes such as rugby and the NFL.

While traumatic brain injuries like concussions may be less common in football than those sports, the repeated heading of the ball by footballers has previously been associated with dementia.

The new study, published in The Lancet Public Health journal, analysed the medical records of more than 6,000 male footballers in Sweden’s top division from 1924 to 2019.

The researchers compared their rates of a range of degenerative brain disorders to 56,000 similarly aged Swedish men.

The footballers were 1.5 times more likely to get Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias than the control group, the study suggested.

An exception was goalkeepers, who rarely need to head the ball and did not show any increased likelihood of degenerative brain disorders.

“This finding lends support to the hypothesis that heading the ball might explain this association,” the study’s lead author Peter Ueda of Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet told AFP.

Ueda said it was the largest research conducted on the subject since a 2019 Scottish study which suggested that footballers were 3.5 times more likely than to get degenerative brain disorders.

– ‘Protect people’s heads’ –
The Swedish study also found that footballers lived slightly longer than similarly aged men, which Ueda said could be related to the higher levels of exercise and socioeconomic status that come with being an elite footballer.

The study found no increased risk of motor neuron diseases such as ALS among the footballers, and a even slightly lower risk for Parkinson’s disease.

Ueda cautioned that the observational study was not able to show that playing football directly caused the dementia, and its findings could not be extended to female, amateur or youth football.

Because there is so much time between people playing football and the development of these brain disorders, many of the players covered by the study were active during the mid-20th century.

This means that better equipment, knowledge and training could have since made the game safer for modern professional players, Ueda said.

“But you can also speculate that contemporary players today are exposed to intense football from a very young age, so maybe the risk would even be higher among them,” he added.

Gill Livingston, professor in psychiatry of older people at the University College London, said the “high-quality paper” added to “convincing evidence” that footballers whose heads come in contact with the ball were at a higher risk of dementia.

“We need to act to protect people’s heads and brains and keep playing sport,” said Livingston, who was not involved in the research.

Research into head injuries in sport, and post-career side-effects, has recently exploded, notably in rugby union and rugby league.

Last year research indicated former international rugby players are 15 times more likely to develop motor neurone disease. A group of former rugby union players is suing various governing bodies for allegedly failing to protect them from permanent injury.

AFP

Sports

[FULL LIST] U-17 W’ World Cup: Nigeria Face Italy As Knockout Stage Begins

Published

17 hours ago

October 26, 2025

Editor

The knockout phase of the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup is set to kick off in Morocco, with Nigeria’s Flamingos drawn against Italy in one of the standout Round of 16 fixtures.

The match is scheduled for Tuesday, October 28, at the Stade Olympique de Rabat, with kickoff at 8:00 p.m. Nigeria.

Their qualification follows an emphatic 4–0 victory over Samoa in Rabat on Saturday.

The Flamingos will now aim to build on their impressive group-stage campaign as they continue their push for a historic first world title.

Host nation Morocco will also be in action the same evening, taking on South Korea at the Mohammed VI Football Academy Pitch 2 in Sale, where home fans are expected to create a charged atmosphere in support of the Atlas Lionesses.

Earlier on Tuesday, Brazil will battle China PR, while the United States square off against the Netherlands, both matches slated for 4:30 p.m. in Sale.

The game continues on Wednesday, October 29, with Mexico facing Paraguay at 4:30 p.m., while defending champions Spain meet France in a mouthwatering all-European clash at the same time and venue.

Later that night, Canada will take on Zambia, and Japan, one of the tournament’s top contenders, will lock horns with Colombia to round off the Round of 16 fixtures.

All matches will be staged across venues in Rabat and Sale, with global coverage available via major sports networks and FIFA’s digital platforms.

As the competition enters its decisive stage, only four wins now separate the remaining 16 teams from lifting the prestigious U-17 Women’s World Cup trophy.

Eight winning teams in the round of 16 will move to the quarter-final stage starting Saturday, November 1, 2025.

Full Round of 16 Fixtures
Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Brazil U17 vs China PR U17 – 4:30 PM (Mohammed VI Football Academy Pitch 3, Sale)

United States U17 vs Netherlands U17 – 4:30 PM (Mohammed VI Football Academy, Sale)

Italy U17 vs Nigeria U17 – 8:00 PM (Stade Olympique de Rabat, Rabat)

South Korea U17 vs Morocco U17 – 8:00 PM (Mohammed VI Football Academy Pitch 2, Sale)

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Mexico U17 vs Paraguay U17 – 4:30 PM (Mohammed VI Football Academy Pitch 3, Sale)

Spain U17 vs France U17 – 4:30 PM (Mohammed VI Football Academy, Sale)

Canada U17 vs Zambia U17 – 8:00 PM (Mohammed VI Football Academy, Sale)

Japan U17 vs Colombia U17 – 8:00 PM (Venue TBC)

Sports

SWAN Kicks Off 60th Anniversary/Awards With Religious Services

Published

4 days ago

October 23, 2025

Editor

The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) is set to hold its 60th anniversary with Jumat Prayer and Thanksgiving on Friday October 24, 2025.

A statement by the Media and Publicity Committee of the anniversary said the special prayer and thanksgiving will be held in all the state chapters and FCT at the venues which would be determined by the leadership of the various chapters.

According to the statement, the SWAN Diamond Jubilee and Award Ceremony will also feature the full council which is a meeting of the National Executive Council, zonal vice presidents and secretaries and state chairmen and secretaries.

The committee, while inviting “government functionaries, lovers of sports, members of the association and the general public to join SWAN members at the services to thank God for a successful 60-year journey,” added: “All activities at the event will hold at the National Stadium, Abuja between Oct. 29 and Oct. 31.”

“It will also be an opportunity for us to collectively pray for protection of members, better sports fortuneNigeria’s sports men and women and a more prosperous sports sector,” it said.

Sports

EPL: Trossard Strike As Arsenal Beat Fulham 1-0

Published

1 week ago

October 18, 2025

Editor

Arsenal edged past Fulham with a narrow 1-0 victory at Craven Cottage, climbing three points clear at the top of the Premier League table. The result marked another composed and professional display from Mikel Arteta’s side, who continue to show their title credentials.

The decisive moment came in the second half when Leandro Trossard calmly finished after a clever set-piece routine.

Bukayo Saka delivered a dangerous corner that was flicked on by Gabriel, setting up Trossard to slot home the winner.

Arteta’s side dominated possession throughout, limiting Fulham to very few chances in front of goal.

The hosts struggled to create any real threat, with Arsenal’s defence staying compact and composed.

With the victory, Arsenal overtake Manchester City to sit three points clear at the summit after another disciplined away performance.

More to follow…